title: Inhibition of experimental angiogenesis of cornea by somatostatin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated the inhibitory activity of somatostatin 14 on the angiogenesis of cornea in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneal neovascularization was induced with a pellet containing 90 ng of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in a rat corneal pocket model. Three kinds of pellets were made containing bFGF plus somatostatin (SST) 0 ng, 20 ng and 200 ng for the control group, group 1 and group 2, respectively. Neovascularization was observed biomicroscopically from day 4 to day 8, and the corneas were then examined for changes in histology. Quantitation of angiogenesis in the cornea was accomplished by caliper and image analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 200-ng dose of SST showed significant inhibition of both length and area of neovascularization on day 7 (0.62+/-0.11 mm vs 1.29+/-0.16 mm, 0.50+/-0.16 mm2 vs 1.35+/-0.29mm2, group 2 vs control; P<0.05). The 20 ng of somatostatin did not demonstrate any significant inhibition of neovascularization compared with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that SST 14 can reduce bFGF-induced corneal angiogenesis. This shows the potential value of somatostatin in the treatment of corneal neovascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Pei-Chang
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chi-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chih-hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsi-Kung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: Su-Chin
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Cheng-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Ying
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Ming-Tse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Lin-Cheng
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D013004:Somatostatin