May 2008
Volume 49, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2008
In vivo Toxicity Testing of Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in Rat Models With and Without Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage
S. Thaler; F. Ziemssen; M. Fiedorowicz; T. Choragiewicz; S. Bolz; E. Zrenner; K.-U. Bartz-Schmidt; F. Schuettauf
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • S. Thaler
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • F. Ziemssen
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • M. Fiedorowicz
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
    Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland
  • T. Choragiewicz
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
    Tadeusz Krwawicz Chair of Ophthalmology and 1st Eye Hospital, Medical University Lublin, Lublin, Poland
  • S. Bolz
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • E. Zrenner
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • K.-U. Bartz-Schmidt
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • F. Schuettauf
    Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  S. Thaler, None; F. Ziemssen, None; M. Fiedorowicz, None; T. Choragiewicz, None; S. Bolz, None; E. Zrenner, None; K. Bartz-Schmidt, None; F. Schuettauf, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Tistou and Charlotte Kerstan Stiftung
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2008, Vol.49, 4579. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      User Alerts
      You are adding an alert for:
      In vivo Toxicity Testing of Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in Rat Models With and Without Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage
      You will receive an email whenever this article is corrected, updated, or cited in the literature. You can manage this and all other alerts in My Account
      The alert will be sent to:
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation
      Citation

      S. Thaler, F. Ziemssen, M. Fiedorowicz, T. Choragiewicz, S. Bolz, E. Zrenner, K.-U. Bartz-Schmidt, F. Schuettauf; In vivo Toxicity Testing of Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in Rat Models With and Without Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2008;49(13):4579.

      Download citation file:

      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
    • Get Permissions
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose: : To test a potential long term toxicity on RGC and retinal and cellular changes in rats without RGC damage after intravitreal injections of different anti-VEGF antibodies (Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab) and to test a potential modification of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival in an in vivo rat model of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) induced RGC damage.

Methods: : Bevacizumab (Avastin) at concentrations of 25mg/ml (normal) or 125mg/ml (high) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) at concentrations of 6mg/ml (normal) or 36mg/ml (high) were injected intravitreally (volume 2µl) in groups of normal rats and rats 1 day after intravitreal NMDA injections (n≥8). Control rats were treated with the respective vehicle. Eyes of all groups were enucleated 1 week after intravitreal injections of Bevacizumab or Ranibizumab at high concentrations. Additionally eyes of normal rats were evaluated 1month or 2 months after normal concentrations. RGC were retrogradely labelled with the fluorescent tracer fluorogold 2 days before enucleation of eyes. RGC counting was performed on retinal wholemounts. Electron microscopy (EM) was performed 2 months after Bevacizumab or Ranibizumab at high concentrations in normal rat eyes.

Results: : Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab in normal concentrations did not show a significant reduction of RGC numbers 1 month or 2 months after administration in untreated rats compared to vehicle. NMDA injections reduced RGC numbers by approx. 90%, Bevacizumab or Ranibizumab in normal or high concentrations did not show a significant change in RGC numbers compared to vehicle injected eyes 1 week after NMDA injections. No marked differences in all groups were seen in EM.

Conclusions: : Our results show no signficant toxic effect of Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab at all tested concentrations and timeframes on RGC in vivo. Interestingly, Bevacizumab and Ranibizumab injections did not change RGC loss in the NMDA induced damage model. Futher studies have to be undertaken to evaluate if the application of Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is save to perform in patients suffering from AMD combined with excitotoxic neuroretinal diseases.

Keywords: retina • ganglion cells • age-related macular degeneration 
© 2008, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.Accept