Immunohistochemical observation of anterior subcapsular cataract in eye with spontaneously regressed retinoblastoma

Abstract

We report the histological findings of secondary cataract in an eye with a spontaneously regressed retinoblastoma to obtain keys to clarify the mechanism of this phenomenon. During phacoemulsification, opacified anterior capsule was obtained, fixed in formalin, and embedded in paraffin. Paraffin sections of the specimen were histologically observed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed extracellular matrix accumulation in the extracted fibrous anterior subcapsular opacification. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of fibrous collagen types and cellular fibronectin. Presumed lens cells amid matrix were positively labeled for vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and phospho-Smad2. Histology of the fibrous anterior subcapsular opacification tissue showed the possibility of epithelial-mesenchymal transition of the lens epithelial cells in the secondary cataract following a spontaneously regressed retinoblastoma.