This study investigated the inhibitory effects of Paclitaxel by altering tubulin assembly and cisplatin exposure by binding DNA of the lens epithelial cells (LECs) during epithelial cell cultures in the capsular bag model.

In the capsular bag model, the LECs were cultured with exposure to Paclitaxel (1, 10, 100 nM) and Cisplatin (1, 10, 100 µM) for 3 min. The effect of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin was analyzed by observing the cell number of fibroblasts per field, Western blots for type IV collagen, TUNEL assay and the Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) and Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporated proliferating cells.

An increase in concentration of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin resulted in a decrease in the number of fibroblasts and spindle-shaped cells. The number of proliferating cells showing PCNA positivity and BrdU incorporation in the nuclei was decreased in a dose dependent manner by treatments of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin. Expression of type IV collagen also decreased after treatment with these two agents. Results of the TUNEL assay showed no change in the apoptosis of cells with regard to an increase in concentration of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin.

This study showed inhibitory effects of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin on the proliferation and transdifferentiation of LECs into fibroblasts using the capsular bag model.