title: The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C in transplanted corneas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) after keratoplasty in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Fischer 344 rat corneas were transplanted into Lewis rat eyes. The expression of VEGF-C in cornea was examined by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. The association of corneal lymphangiogenesis, corneal inflammation, and rejection score (RS), with VEGF-C in transplanted corneas was also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both VEGF-C protein and mRNA upregulated dramatically in rat transplanted corneas. The immunoreactivity was at peak on the 3rd day and the 14th day after keratoplasty, respectively. VEGF-C mRNA was strongly and positively correlated with inflammatory index (IF) (r = 0.93; p < 0.01), lymphatic vessel counting (LVC) (r = 0.40; p < 0.05), and RS (r = 0.50; p < 0.05). The development of VEGF-C mRNA, IF, and RS was almost parallel in the second week after keratoplasty.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF-C was expressed in rat transplanted corneas. The expression of VEGF-C correlated closely with corneal inflammation, corneal lymphangiogenesis, and allograft rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Children's Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China. lingshiqi123@163.com
authors.forename: Shiqi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Chaoxiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiangang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wenghui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kuang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007634:Keratitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D042583:Lymphangiogenesis; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C