Rapamycin inhibits corneal allograft rejection and neovascularization.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the immunosuppressive effect of rapamycin in prolonging allograft survival in the rat model of orthotopic allogeneic penetrating keratoplasty.


METHODS
Thirty inbred Lewis rats received corneal allografts from Brown Norway donors. Animals were divided into two rapamycin treatment groups and one allogeneic control group.


RESULTS
By the second week after surgery, all of the control animals had experienced allograft failure due to allograft rejection. However, allografts in seven of 10 animals in the low-dose treatment group and allografts in seven of nine animals in the high-dose treatment group remained clear. In addition, corneal neovascularization was markedly reduced in the treated animals.


CONCLUSIONS
The systemic administration of rapamycin prolongs corneal allograft survival and significantly inhibits the neovascular component of rejection in the rat model of orthotopic allogeneic penetrating keratoplasty.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
T W
TW
Olsen
N M
NM
Benegas
A C
AC
Joplin
T
T
Evangelista
E A
EA
Mindrup
E J
EJ
Holland
D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating / Q000473:pathology; D011090:Polyenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020123:Sirolimus; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D011090:Polyenes; D020123:Sirolimus