title: Retinal vascular permeability suppression by topical application of a novel VEGFR2/Src kinase inhibitor in mice and rabbits.
abstract: Retinal and choroidal vascular diseases, with their associated abnormalities in vascular permeability, account for the majority of patients with vision loss in industrialized nations. VEGF is upregulated in ischemic retinopathies such as diabetes and is known to dramatically alter vascular permeability in a number of nonocular tissues via Src kinase-regulated signaling pathways. VEGF antagonists are currently in clinical use for treating the new blood vessels and retinal edema associated with neovascular eye diseases, but such therapies require repeated intraocular injections. We have found that vascular leakage following intravitreal administration of VEGF in mice was abolished by systemic or topical delivery of what we believe is a novel VEGFR2/Src kinase inhibitor; this was confirmed in rabbits. The relevance of Src inhibition to VEGF-associated alterations in vascular permeability was further substantiated by genetic studies in which VEGF injection or laser-induced vascular permeability failed to augment retinal vascular permeability in Src-/- and Yes-/- mice (Src and Yes are ubiquitously expressed Src kinase family members; Src-/- and Yes-/- mice lacking expression of these kinases show no vascular leak in response to VEGF). These findings establish a role for Src kinase in VEGF-mediated retinal vascular permeability and establish a potentially safe and painless topically applied therapeutic option for treating vision loss due to neovascular-associated retinal edema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scheppke
authors.forename: Edith
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: Ray F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gariano
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doukas
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Noronha
authors.forename: Shiyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weis
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soll
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Cheresh
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedlander
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010539:Permeability; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; D019061:src-Family Kinases