title: β-catenin expression in rat neovascularized cornea after alkali burn.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of β-catenin in cornea after alkali burn and explore its role in cornea neovascularization (CNV).
  
  
  METHODS
  CNV model was established by putting filter paper with the size of 3.0mm in diameter immersed in 1mol/L NaOH solution on the left cornea of rat for 20 seconds. Twenty-five Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: post-operation 1-, 4-, 7-, 14- and 21-day groups while the right eyes as normal control group. The expression level of β-catenin protein, mRNA and VEGF were determined at the 1(st), 4(th), 7(th), 14(th) and 21(st) day following the establishment of model by RT-PCR and immunohistochemical technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No expression of β-catenin immunoreactivity was detected in normal cornea. The expressions of β-catenin and VEGF both reached the peak at the 4(th) and 7(th) day and gradually decreased to near baseline 21 days later. Alteration of β-catenin and VEGF levels showed a significant positive correlation (r=0.855, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of β-catenin are markedly related to inflammatory CNV in rat cornea after alkali burn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen 518026, Guangdong Prvince, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Chang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shi-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Xiao