title: Trans-Chalcone prevents VEGF expression and retinal neovascularization in the ischemic retina.
abstract: Retinal neovascularization (RNV) is a critical pathological event and a major cause of blindness. Vascular inflammation and oxidative stress have been shown to play a key role in the induction and progression of RNV. Trans-Chalcone-derived flavonoids have been previously shown to be negative modulators of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses as well as tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we characterized the effects of the flavonoid trans-Chalcone in preventing RNV in a model of ischemic retinopathy. Ischemic retinopathy was induced in neonatal mice subjected to oxygen-induced retinopathy. Trans-Chalcone was administered intra-peritoneum at the dose of 25 mg/kg/day. Vascular density was assessed by morphometric analysis of flat mounted retinas stained with Texas red-Isolectin B4. Western blotting analysis was conducted to determine protein levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), inter-cellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and the transcriptional activators' signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB). Treatment with trans-Chalcone significantly inhibited RNV in the ischemic retina, as shown by decreased number of neovascular tufts. Trans-Chalcone also blocked ischemia-induced VEGF and ICAM-1 expression and this effect correlated with inhibition of activated STAT3 and NF-κB. Our results show that trans-Chalcone effectively prevents RNV in the murine retina thus suggesting that Chalcone-derived flavonoids may be beneficial in preventing pathological neovascularization in the ischemic retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912, USA. flamoke@mcg.edu
authors.forename: Folami
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lamoke
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Labazi
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montemari
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varano
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bartoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D047188:Chalcones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D047188:Chalcones; D016328:NF-kappa B; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C028770:chalcone epoxide