Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the effects of subconjunctival injection of low-molecular-weight heparin taurocholate 7 (LHT7) on corneal neovascularization, using a rat model.
Methods: :
Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of six animals each. Corneal centers were cauterized by application of a silver/potassium nitrate solution for 8 seconds. Next, 0.02 ml or 0.04 ml amounts of 25 mg/ml LHT7 were subconjunctivally injected on days 2 and 4 after cauterization (low LHT7 group: 0.02 ml; high LHT7 group: 0.04 ml); 0.02 ml of 25 mg/ml bevacizumab was injected into rats in the positive control group, with normal saline (NS) being administered to a negative control group. Digital photographs of the cornea were taken 1 and 2 weeks later and examined to determine the area of neovascularized cornea as the percentage of corneal neovascularization. To compare difference in corneal neovascularization between week 1 and week 2, the change of corneal neovascularization were calculated by dividing the percentage of corneal neovascularization at 2 weeks by that at 1 week.
Results: :
The percentage of corneal neovascularization did not significantly differ among the four groups either 1 or 2 weeks after cauterization (p=0.48 and 0.08, respectively). However, the change of corneal neovascularization was 0.89±0.04, 0.85±0.06, 0.85±0.04, and 1.04±0.04 in the low LHT7, high LHT7, bevacizumab, and NS groups, respectively. The changes of corneal neovascularization in the high LHT7 and bevacizumab groups were significantly decreased compared to that in the NS group (p=0.02).
Conclusions: :
Subconjunctival injection of LHT7 attenuated corneal neovascularization after chemical cauterization in the rat.
Keywords: neovascularization