Effect of Disintegrin in Retina after Laser Photocoagulation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate weather an administrated inhibitor (disintegrin) of angiogenic factors inhibits the development of laser-induced experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in rat model. METHODS: Experimental CNV was induced by red argon laser photocoagulation in the eyes of 10 Brown Norway rats. The rats were divided into two groups, the disintegrin (flavoridin)-treated group and control group. Fundus photography and fluorescein angiography were performed to identify late leakage after two weeks of laser photocoagulation. Three days after fluorescein angiography, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was identified by immunohistochemical stain. RESULTS: CNV-related fluorescein leakage appeared in forty-four (18 in the flavoridin-treated group, 26 in the control group) of 64 laser spots delivered to the 10 eyes that were tested at two weeks post-treatment. Expression of VEGF on laser-induced CNV lesions was reduced in the flavoridin-treated group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that disintegrin is an inhibitor of ocular angiogenesis; disintegrin reduced CNV in laser-induced experimental model. We expect that disintegrin may have a potent effect in age-related macular degeneration.