Objective To observe the retinal toxicity of intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab (Avastin) in albino rabbit eyes at different doses. Methods Sixteen New Zealand albino rabbits，thirty-two eyes were divided into four groups at random. Three groups were prepared for Avastin experiment, named A, B, C. Each group received intravitreal injection of Avastin at dose 1.25 mg/0.05ml，2.5 mg/0.1ml and 6.25 mg/0.25 ml respectively. The other group named D served as a control, and accepted intravitreal injection of 0.9% normal saline 0.1 ml. Then test it by electroretinagram (ERG) after 1, 2 and 4 weeks. In addition, each group was removing two rabbitprime;s eyes to observe the retinal morphology and ultra structure by light microscope and transmission electron microscopy after intravitreal injection avastin 1, 2 and 4 weeks. Results The ERG pattern and amplitude of each group were normal after intravitreal injection Avastin 1, 2 and 4 weeks. （P＞0.05）Between study and control groups, there was no significant difference in retinal morphology which was observed by light microscope at any stage of the study. By electron microscopic observation, retinal ultramicrostructure was no evident retinal toxicity being tested both at group A and B (1.25 mg/0.05 ml and 2.5 mg/0.1 ml). But at group C (6.25 mg/0.25 ml), significant mitochondrial swelling and hydropic changes were seen in the inner segments of photoreceptors. And there was no improvement of the pathological changes in four weeks. Conclusion It is safe that intravitreal injection of Avastin in rabbitprime;s eyes at dose 1.25 mg or 2.5 mg at single time. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2008，24：193-196）
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of subretinal injection of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for RPE in mice.
MethodsA total of 30 postnatal day 7 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal mice group, OIR model group and OIR model cell transplanted group, 10 mice in each group. The OIR model was induced in mice of OIR model group and OIR model cell transplanted group. The RPE cells were subretinal injected into the RPE of mice in OIR model cell transplanted group. At 20 days after the injection, the RPE thickness was evaluated by fluorescence microscope. The expression of RPE65, Bestrophin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) were estimated by Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR).
ResultsThe thickness of RPE in OIR model mice was thinner than that in normal mice; the thickness of RPE in OIR model cell transplantation mice was significantly thicker than that in the OIR model mice. The results of Western blot and RT-PCR indicated that the differences of protein (F=8.597, 18.864, 25.691) and mRNA expression (F=39.458, 11.461, 34.796) of RPE65, Bestrophin, ZO-1 were statistically significant between OIR model group and OIR model cell transplanted group (P < 0.05).
ConclusionsSubretinal injection of RPE cells can promote RPE thickening. RPE65 and Bestrophin protein relative expression levels increased, ZO-1 protein relative expression levels reduced; mRNA expression levels of RPE65, Bestrophin and ZO-1 genes increased.
Objective To observe the effects of structure and function of cornea, chamber angle and retina of varying doses of Bevacizumab which was injected intravitreally in rabbits. Methods Twenty-four New Zealand albino rabbits were divided into three groups randomly, the right eyes in three groups received int ravitreal injection Avastin at dose 1.25 mg，2.5 mg and 5 mg respectively as experimental eye, the left eyes accepted intravitreal injection 0.9% normal saline at the same volume as a control eye. The anterior segment of eye and ocular fundus were examined and intraocular pressure was measured by slit-lamp microscope and direct ophthalmoscope before and after injection. It was tested by Electroretino gram (ERG) before and after injection 1, 4, 8 weeks. At the 8th week, it carried out corneal endothelium counting; then enucleated eyes to observe by the light microscope and transmission electron microscope. Results No statistically significant difference regard to IOP,corneal endothelium counting, a-and b-waves of ERG at any stage of study in every group（P＞0.05）. No obvious change at cornea, chamber angle, retinal structure and retinal ultrastructure in every group under light microscope. Conclusion This study indicated that there is no obvio us toxicity of intravitreal injection with Avastin 1.25~5.0 mg in normal rabbit eyes. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2008，24：189-192）
Objective To explore the role of activated macrophage in the repair of traumatic optic nerve injury in an animal model of incomplete traumatic optic nerve injury with lens damage.Methods One hundred and twelve healthy New Zealand big ear white rabbits were divided into two groups (experimental and control groups) randomly. According to the different time points (one, four, seven, ten, 14, 21 and 28 days), each group was further divided into seven subgroups, each subgroup had eight rabbits. Traumatic optic neuropathy and lens damage were induced in one eye of each rabbit by fluid percussion brain injury device (FPI); those eyes were the experimental group. The eyes of control group only had traumatic optic neuropathy. The functional and morphological changes of retina and optic nerve were evaluated by histopathology and flashvisual evoked potential (FVEP).Results FVEP P100 latency was (42.74plusmn; 5.83) ms, P100 amplitude was (7.98 plusmn; 2.15) mu;V before optic nerve injury was induced. One day after the injury, the P100latency increased and the P100amplitude reduced significantly. The P100 latency reached the longest at ten days after injury, and then recovered gradually. The P100 amplitude reached the lowest at seven days after injury, and then recovered gradually. The histopathological examination showed activated macrophages were not detected in the retina and optic nerve at day one after the injury, then they increased gradually and reached their peak (91.25plusmn;6.91) at day ten, and decreased after that, the difference was statistically significant (F=21.277, P=0.000); retinal ganglion cell axon regeneration began at day seven after the injury with an average of (6.38plusmn;1.85). The axons increased gradually and reached their peak (49.63plusmn;2.50) at day 28, and the changes were significant (F=7.711, P=0.000). Conclusions Incomplete optic nerve injury can recover gradually if there is lens damage at the same time. Activated macrophage may play an important role in this recovery process.
Objective:To observe the effect of beta;estradiol on gluta mate concentration in rabbitsprime; retinae injured by ischemic reperfusion.
Methods:Twenty r abbits ware randomly divided into two groups, the control group and the treatmen t group, with 10 rabbits in each group. Before examined by binocular flash elect roretinography (FERG), retinal ischemic reperfusion (RIR) model was induced in t h e right eyes of all the rabbits by increasing intraocular pressure to 120 mm Hg for 60 minutes; the left eyes were as the control eyes. The rabbits were hypoder mically injected with beta;estradiol (0.1 mg/kg) in treatment group and with phys i ological saline in the control group 2 hours before ischemia. The results of FER G of the right eyes in both of the 2 groups 0, 4, 8, and 24 hours after reperfus ion were record respectively and were compared with the results of FERG before r eperfusion. The retina tissue was collected after the last time of FERG. The con c entration of glutamate was detected by Hitachi L8800 amino acid analyzer.
Results:In the right eyes in both of the 2 groups, the result of F ERG showed a beeli ne just after reperfusion. There was no significant difference of awave amplit u de between the 2 groups (t=1.357, 0.798, 0.835; Pgt;0.05); the b wave amplitudes i n experimental group were much higher than those in the control group (t=4.447, 2.188, 3.106; Plt;0.01). The concentration of glutamate in retina was (0.265plusmn;0.014) g/L in the right eyes and (0.207plusmn;0.013) g/L in the left eyes in the control group, and (0.231plusmn;0.007) g/L in the right eyes and (0.203plusmn;0 .014) g/L in the le ft eyes in the treatment group; the difference between the 2 groups was signific ant (F=50.807, P=0.000). There was statistical difference between righ t and left eyes both in the 2 groups and the significant difference of the right eyes betw een the two groups was also found (P=0.000); there was no statistical diffe rence of the left eyes between the 2 groups (P＝0.505).
Conclusion:beta;-estradiol may prevent the increase of the concentration of glutamate in retina induced by RIR to protect retinal tissue.
Objective
To observe the effect of melatonin (MT) on retinal apoptosis in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI).
Methods
A total of 54 male healthy Sprague-Dawley adult rats were randomly divided into the normal control (CON) group (6 rats), RIRI group (24 rats) and MT group (24 rats). The rats of RIRI and MT group were induced using suture-occluded methods to establish RIRI model. The rats of MT group were injected with MT in the left carotid artery 30 minutes after RIRI, and RIRI group was injected with the same amount of saline. On 6, 24 hours and 3, 7 days after RIRI, the morphological changes of retina were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining; the effects of MT on retinal cell apoptosis and Nrf2, HO-1 proteins were examined by immunohistochemistry staining. The correlation between active Caspase-3 and Nrf2 protein, active Caspase-3 and HO-1 protein in MT group were analyzed by linear regression analysis.
Results
HE staining results showed that the morphology of retinal cells was regular and retinal cells were well arranged in the CON and MT group. In the RIRI group, both the thickness of inner retinal layer and the number of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) were decreased. On 6, 24 hours and 3, 7 days after RIRI, the thickness of inner retinal layer (F=16.710, 62.303, 68.389, 57.132; P＜0.01) and RGC number (F=24.250, 11.624, 14.155, 32.442; P＜0.05) in MT group were more than those in RIRI group. Immunohistochemistry staining results showed that less active Caspase-3+ cells were observed in MT group as compared with those in RIRI group at each time points (F=49.118, 134.173, 76.225, 18.385; P＜0.01). There were more Nrf2+ (F=11.041, 31.480, 59.246, 6.740; P＜0.05) and HO-1+ cells (F=128.993, 21.606, 51.349, 8.244; P＜0.05) in MT group as compared with those in RIRI group at each time points. Linear regression analysis results showed that the difference of active Caspase-3+ cells were all linearly correlated with the Nrf2+ cells and HO-1+cells in the MT group (r2=0.810, 0.730; P＜0.01).
Conclusion
MT could reduce retinal cell apoptosis in RIRI rats, and its mechanism may be associated with increased Nrf2 and HO-1 expression, reduced active Caspase-3 expression.
Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of ultrasonic microbubble combined with bevacizumab (Avastin) on choroidal neovascularization induced by photocoagulation in rabbits.Methods CNV was induced by photocoagulation with argon laser in 30 rabbits (60 eyes).All of the rabbits underwent fundus fluorecein angiography (FFA) 21 days after photocoagulation; 6-8 hours later, 3 rabbits were randomly chosen to be executed to having the immunohistochemical examination.Twenty one days after photocoagulation, 27 rabbits were divided randomly into 3 groups: bevacizumb, ultrasonic microbubble + bevacizumb,and control group; each group has 9 rabbits (18 eyes).The rabbits in control group had no interference treatment; while the rats in bevacizumb and ultrasonic microbubble + bevacizumb group underwent injection with bevacizumb or ultrasonic microbubble + bevacizumb respectively.FFA was performed on all of the rabbits 7,14,and 28 days after photocoagulation to observe the inhibition of CNV; immunofluorecence and Western blot were used to detect the expression of VEGF in retina and choroid.Twentyeight days is the time point to determine the therapeutic efficacy. The expression of VEGF and the results of FFA were the sdandards of the judgement of therapeutic efficacy.Results Proliferaion of CNV to the retinal inner layer and the obvious leakage of fluoresein in the photocoagulation area indicated that the model of CNV was set up successfully. Twenty eight days after injection,obvious fluorescent leakage was found in the control group, and the average fluorescent leakage in bevacizumab group differed much from the control group（t=16.2952，Plt;0.05）; while the difference between ultrasonic microbubble + bevacizumb group and bevacizumab group was also significant (t=4.7955，Plt;0.05) . At the same time point, the expression of VEGF in bevacizumab group detected by immunofluorecent assay and Western blot differed much from the control group (t=7.0327，9.2596；Plt;0.05),and the difference of VEGF between ultrasonic microbubble + bevacizumb group and bevacizumab group was significant（t=2.9724,17.1937；Plt;0.05）. this experiment show that ultrasound combined bevacizumab intravitreal injection of the therapeutic effect of CNV superior to other groups(Plt;0.01).Conclusion Ultrasound microbubble combined with bevacizumab injection may improve the therapeutic effect on CNV by inhibiting the expression of VEGF.
Objective To observe the expression of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM), Caspase-3 and interleukin (IL)-6 in optic nerve tissue of ischemic optic neuropathy (ION). Methods Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group and model group, 10 rats in each group. The permanent ligation of bilateral internal carotid arteries (BICA) was performed for 14 days to establish sub-acute ION model as model group. The control group were separated BICA without ligation. The expressions of TREM-1, TREM-2, Caspase-3 and IL-6 in rat retina were detected by reverse transcription PCR and Western blot, respectively. ResultsCompared with the control group, the expressions of TREM-1, Caspase-3, IL-6 mRNA (t=6.058, 7.86, 6.055) and protein (t=9.671, 9.524, 14.501) in the optic nerve tissue of the model group were increased, while the expression of TREM-2 mRNA and protein (t=9.283) was decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusion In ischemic optic nerve tissue, TREM-1 mRNA and protein were significantly expressed, the expressions of TREM-2 mRNA and protein decreased significantly.
Objective To investigate the inhibitory effects and possible related mechanism of OTX008 [a selective inhibitor of galectin-1 (Galectin-1)] on retinal neovascularization (RNV) in mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Methods 7-day-old (P7) C57BL/6J mice were randomly (according to random number table) divided into 4 groups including normal group, OIR group, OIR-OTX008 group and OIR-phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group. To establish the OIR mouse model, mice from all groups except normal group were expose to (75±2)% oxygen for 5 days and then to room air. OIR-OTX008 group received an intravitreal injection of 1 μl (0.25 μg/μl) OTX008 at P12, OIR-PBS group received the equal volume (1 μl) of PBS injection. Mice from 4 groups were euthanized at P17, and retinas were collected for molecular biological analysis and morphological study. RNV was evaluated by counting the number of pre-retinal neovascular nuclei and the whole-mount immunofluorescent staining of mouse retina. Cyrosections of retinas were imaged via confocal microscopy to observe the enrichment of staining of Galectin-1. Protein levels of Galectin-1, Neuropilin-1 and phosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (pVEGFR2) were determined with Western blot. Results At P17, Galectin-1 expressed higher in retinal ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer and inner nuclear layer from OIR group and OIR-PBS group than normal group. Galectin-1 expressed less in cryosection retinas from OIR-OTX008 group than OIR group and OIR-PBS group. The numbers of pre-retinal neovascular cell nuclei from OIR group and OIR-PBS group were obviously more than that from normal group (t=9.314,P＜0.05). The number of pre-retinal neovascular cell nuclei from OIR-OTX008 group were obviously lower than those from OIR group and OIR-PBS group (t=8.038, 7.774;P＜0.05). The RNV tufts area (t=13.250, 12.570), non-perfusion area (t=15.590, 12.430) and hypoxic area (t=9.542, 9.928) from OIR-OTX008 group were significantly smaller than those in OIR group and OIR-PBS group (P＜0.05). Protein levels of Galectin-1 (t=24.800, 23.060), Neuropilin-1 (t=4.120, 3.530) and pVEGFR2 (t=25.880, 15.480) in the OIR-OTX008 group were significantly down-regulated than those from OIR group and OIR-PBS group (P＜0.05). Conclusion Intravitreal injection of OTX008 inhibits RNV and ameliorates retinal hypoxia in mice model of OIR possibly through down-regulating Galectin-1, Neurolinpin-1 and pVEGFR2.
Objective:To observe the effects of testosterone on optic nerve an d retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE ).
Methods:Fourty one female Wistar rats were randomly divide d into 3 groups: the normal group (10 rats), the untreated control group (15 rats) and the testos terone group (16 rats). The rats in the first two groups were fed with 1% ethano l every day, and the rats in the testosterone group were fed with methyltestoste rone (0.25 mg/kg) every day. On the 20th day, EAE model was induced in the untre ated control group and the testosterone group by injecting guinea pig spinal cor d homogenate in complete Freund's adjuvant and bordetella pertussis vaccine. RGC were labeled with flurogold (FG) by injecting it in superior colliculus and lat eral geniculate body 7 days before establishing EAE model. All rats were fed wit h drugs continuously, and after 1430 days, rats in normal group and rats in un t reated control and testosterone groups who had symptoms within 48～72 hours were observed by light microscopy and flash visual evoked potential (FVEP) to detect the functional and morphological changes of optic nerve. The number of RGC was counted by fluorescence microscopy，and apoptosis of RGC was observed by termina l deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling (TUN E L)
Results:EAE rats presented weakness or paralysis of tail a nd hind limbs 10 days after establishing EAE model. Compared with the rats in the untreated contr ol group, the rats in the testosterone group had longer disease delitescence and lower clinical score (P=0.042). Extensive demyelination of optic nerves wi th the circuitous configuration was found in the untreated control group; while mild demyelination of optic nerves with regular figure was found in the testosterone group. In the testosterone group, the latency of N1、P and N2 wave was shorter w hile the amplitude ofN1-P and P-N2was higher than that in the untreated cont rol group (Plt;0.05). The number of RGC was (2284plusmn;132), (934plusmn;78, and (1725 plusmn;95)cells/mm2 in the normal, untreated control and testosterone groups, respectively; w hich was higher in testosterone group than that in untreated control group (P=0.028). The number of TUNEL positive cells was (4.02plusmn;0.16), (24.44plusmn;2.22), and (9.84plusmn;2.36) cells per high power field (times;400) in the 3 grou ps, respectively; wh ich was less in testosterone group than that in untreated control group (P＝0.025).
Conclusions:Testosterone may reduce the incidence and clinical score of EAE, inhibit the apoptosis of RGC, alleviate the demyelinatio n of optic nerves, and improved the conduction function of optic nerves.
