Choroidal neovascularization is characterized by an increase in transcript levels of several inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, and intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1.
36–39 To evaluate the effects of UPARANT on inflammatory factors, mRNA levels were determined and quantified. As depicted in
Figure 7, after laser treatment, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 were increased by approximately 4.7-, 2.8-, 2.6-, 2.1-, 4.0-, and 3.7-fold, respectively (
P < 0.001). Similar to the effects exerted on angiogenic factors, UPARANT reduced inflammatory transcripts, with a trend toward recovering their control levels. In particular, after UPARANT at 4 mg mL
−1, the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 were approximately 3.5- (
P < 0.001), 2.2- (
P < 0.01), 1.6- (
P < 0.01), 1.5- (
P < 0.05), 3.1- (
P < 0.001), and 2.9-fold (
P < 0.001) higher than in controls, respectively. Markedly, 12 mg mL
−1 UPARANT treatment statistically reduced the levels of TNF-α and iNOS to those of controls, while the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, and ICAM-1 were approximately 2.5- (
P < 0.001), 1.7- (
P < 0.05), 2.0- (
P < 0.01), and 1.7-fold (
P < 0.01) higher than in controls, respectively. These levels were approximately 46% (
P < 0.01), 39% (
P < 0.01), 50% (
P < 0.001), and 55% (
P < 0.001) lower than in vehicle-treated mice, respectively.