Human opticin reduces pathological preretinal neovascularization in the mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Abstract

Purpose : To investigate the therapeutic potential of recombinant human opticin in retinal ischemia and neovascularization.

Methods : Recombinant human opticin was expressed in 293 cells and purified from conditioned media using a three stage chromatography process. To determine the effect of opticin on pathological pre-retinal neovascularisation and retinal vascular regeneration we injected it intravitreally in mice with accelerated oxygen-induced retinopathy at postnatal day 11. We measured the extent of retinal neovascularisation and residual vascular regression at postnatal day 16 by image quantification of fluorescently-labelled vasculature in retinal flat-mounts. The untreated contralateral eye served as an intra-individual control. We compared the effect of opticin with that of PBS and aflibercept.

Results : Intravitreal injection of recombinant human opticin reduced the extent of preretinal neovascularisation by 61%, relative to the untreated contralateral eyes. By comparison, injection of PBS resulted in 42% reduction and aflibercept resulted in 66% reduction.

Conclusions : Local administration of recombinant human opticin reduces pre-retinal neovascularisation in mice and offers the potential for benefit in people with sight impairment owing to retinal ischemia and neovascularization.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.