Retinal Toxicity of Cisplatin in Newborn Rats

Abstract

A single subcutaneous injection of 3 mg/kg cisplatin (CDDP) to 1- and 6-day-old rats caused retinal lesions, but no lesions were observed in 13-day-old rats. The lesions consisted of decreased mitosis, karyopyknosis and karyorrhexis of the retinal neuroblastic cells which appeared within 6 hours after the injection. The lesions progressed with time with a peak response at 48 hours. Electroretinograms 40 days after a single subcutaneous injection of 1.8 mg/kg CDDP to 1-day-old rats showed decreased a- and b-wave amplitudes and elongation of the implicit time of the b-wave. These rats with ERG abnormality showed retinal atrophy including narrowing of the retinal outer nuclear layer, especially in the peripheral portion of the retina.