Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze the effects of topical application of ranibizumab and pegaptanib as eye drops on suture-induced inflammatory corneal neovascularization. The target of both drugs is the vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF-A. Whereas Lucentis is a Fab-Fragment of a recombinant, humanized, monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody, Macugen is an RNA-oligonucleotide (RNA-aptamer) which binds and thereby blocks specific VEGF-A.
Methods: :
A mouse model of suture induced inflammatory corneal neovascularization was used to study the effects of topical application of ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis, Switzerland;n=10) and pegaptanib sodium (Macugen, Pfizer, Germany;n=10). Three interrupted 11-0 nylon sutures were placed intrastromally in 6 week old BALB/c mice. The study groups received topical ranibizumab (5 mg/ml) and pegaptanib (1 mg/ml) four times per day for four days. Control mice (n=10) received an equal volume of saline solution. After one week the mice were euthanized and the corneal flat mounts were stained using CD31 as panendothelial marker. Morphometry of blood vessels was performed with the image analysis software Cell^F (Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions GmbH, Münster, Germany). An unpaired t test was used to compare the groups.
Results: :
Morphometry using the software mentioned provided objective and accurate results for comparison of the groups. Topical application of ranibizumab and pegaptanib inhibited the outgrowth of blood vessels significantly (ranibizumab: p<0.02; pegaptanib: p=0.01).
Keywords: cornea: basic science • neovascularization • vascular endothelial growth factor