The inhibitory effects of trastuzumab on corneal neovascularization.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of systemic administration of trastuzumab in the prevention of experimentally induced corneal neovascularization in a rat model.


METHODS
An experimental animal study.


METHODS
Sixteen male Wistar-Albino rats weighing 250 g to 300 g were used in the study. Silver nitrate sticks (75% silver nitrate, 25% potassium nitrate) were used to induce chemical cauterization on the corneas of 16 eyes. The rats were randomized to 1 of 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 8) received intraperitoneally 1 ml (4 mg/kg) trastuzumab and Group 2 (n = 8) received 1 ml saline. The corneal surface covered with neovascular vessels was measured on the photographs as the percentage of the total area of the cornea by using computer imaging analysis on the eighth day. The corneas obtained from rats were evaluated for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunostaining semicantitatively. The number of the corneal neovascularizations were also determined on slides. The results were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
The burn stimulus was similar between groups. The average neovascularization area in treatment group was statistically smaller than control (P = .008). The mean VEGF staining intensity of epithelial and endothelial layers of cornea in treatment group was less than control (P = .038 and P = .041, respectively). The stroma of the treatment group showed less staining, but the difference was not significant (P = .056). The number of corneal neovascularizations on slides in trastuzumab treated eyes were less than the control group (P = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
Systemic administration of trastuzumab is effective in prevention of the corneal neovascularization.
Güler
Mete
M
Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey. meteglr@yahoo.com
Yilmaz
Turgut
T
Ozercan
Ibrahim
I
Elkiran
Tamer
T
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat