Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate whether caffeic acid (CA) has the anti-angiogenic activity to retinal endothelial cells and retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of ROP
Methods: :
In mice model of oxygen-induced retinopathy with or without intravitreal CA, neovascularization was measured through flourescein angiography using FITC-dextran and blood vessel count in cross section. To determine anti-angiogenic activity of CA to VEGF-induced in vitro angiogenesis, VEGF-induced migration and tube formation of retinal endothelial cells was evaluated with CA treatment. In addition, deguelin-induced retinal toxicity was evaluated as well. To investigate whether the anti-angiogenic activity of CA on retinal endothelial cells was related to the anti-oxidant activity, the inhibitory activity of CA to H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species production and VEGF expression was evaluated.
Results: :
CA effectively inhibited VEGF-induced proliferation of retinal endothelial cells in concentration-dependent manner. In addition, VEGF-induced migration and tube formation of retinal endothelial cells was completely inhibited. This anti-angiogenic activity of CA on retinal endothelial cells was related to the anti-oxidant activity: the inhibitory activity of CA to H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species production and VEGF expression. Interestingly, CA significantly suppressed retinal neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy as the animal model of ROP without retinal cytotoxicity.
Conclusions: :
These data suggests that CA could be a potent anti-angiogenic agent for retinal neovascularization, and be applied in the treatment of other vasoproliferative retinopathies.
Keywords: retinal neovascularization