Abstract
Purpose :
Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in wet-AMD is characterized by abnormal growth of blood vessel growth into the retina which have the propensity to leak. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that intravenously (IV) injected gold nanoparticles have an anti-angiogenic and healing effect on laser induced CNV in a mouse model of wet-AMD.
Methods :
Eighteen pigmented wild type mice (C57BL6/J) were used in the present study. All the mice received green laser (532 nm) induced CNV and were divided into two groups viz. sham treated control and gold nanoparticle (AuNP) treatment group. The citrate reduced AuNP (50 nm diameter) were injected intravenously in all the experimental group mice via tail vein on day 1 of laser injury. The controls received sham PBS injections. Using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fluorescein angiography (FA) with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO), we evaluated CNV lesions with and without treatment over a period of time (7, 14, and 21 days post laser injury).
Results :
IV injected AuNP mice had reduced CNV development and progression. Treatment group, showed significantly decreased fluorescein leakage at the CNV site compared with control mice (FA percentage decrease in treatment group was 37% on day 7, 44% on day 14, and 48% on day 21). CNV volume (evaluated by OCT) showed significant reduction (~ 53% decrease on day 7 and 14, and ~35% decrease on day 21) in the treatment group compared with controls. Nanoparticles were found to be localized in the retina by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Immunohistochemistry of whole mount choroid/RPE with isolectin B4 showed reduced CNV in AuNP treated mice.
Conclusions :
We have demonstrated for the first time, that intravenously injected AuNP’s exhibit anti-angiogenic and healing effect in a laser induced CNV mouse model. The intravenous administration of AuNP should be further evaluated as a potential therapeutic in wet AMD.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.