Changes in choriocapillaris fenestration of rat eyes after intravitreal bevacizumab injection.
BACKGROUND
To examine the effects of anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab) on the number of fenestrations in rat choriocapillaris.


METHODS
Twenty-four eyes from 24 male Wister rats were injected intravitreally with 0.125 mg of bevacizumab. The rats were perfusion fixated at 1, 3, 7, 14 or 28 days after injection. The surfaces of the choriocapillaris on the RPE side were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Four eyes treated with human IgG were used as controls. The area sieve plate and the number of fenestrations after the bevacizumab injection were measured and compared with controls.


RESULTS
In the controls, the sieve plate area was 80.7% of the total choriocapillaris area. The number of fenestrations was 69.2 +/- 0.2 /microm(2) of the fenestrated area. While there were no changes in the fenestrated area for any of the time points after the bevacizumab treatment, the number of fenestrations was significantly reduced to 52.9 +/- 4.4 at day 1, 55.6 +/- 3.6 at day 3 and 53.6 +/- 8.6 /microm(2) of the luminal surface at day 7 (ANOVA, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, intravitreal bevacizumab injection reduced fenestration of the normal choriocapillaris. These results indicate there is a latent risk inherent with bevacizumab treatment of normal choriocapillaris.
Shimomura
Yukiko
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Saga University Faculty of Medicine, 5-1-1, Nabeshima, Saga, 849-8501, Japan.
Hirata
Akira
A
Ishikawa
Shinichiro
S
Okinami
Satoshi
S
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab