title: Lactoferrin Reduces Chorioretinal Damage in the Murine Laser Model of Choroidal Neovascularization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether lactoferrin, specifically endogenous mouse lactoferrin and exogenous intraperitoneal lactoferrin treatment, plays a role in reducing the chorioretinal damage in the laser-induced model of choroidal neovascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four 532-nm argon laser spots were placed between the retinal vessels of each eye. At Day 7, Fluorescein Angiography was performed to grade the lesions. The mice were perfused with fluorescein-labeled tomato lectin and sacrificed. The retinal pigment epithelium-choroid-sclera complex was flat-mounted and analyzed with a confocal microscope to measure the volume of the lesions. The effect of endogenous lactoferrin was studied by comparing lactoferrin knockout and wild-type (WT) mice. The effect of exogenous lactoferrin treatment was studied by comparing lactoferrin knockout and WT mice treated with lactoferrin for seven days to their respective controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lactoferrin knockout mice demonstrated 47% larger lesion volumes than WT mice (p < 0.001). Intraperitoneal treatment with Lactoferrin reduced the lesion volume in Lactoferrin knockout mice by 26% (p < 0.04). Regarding the fluorescein angiography, lesions indicating the greatest damage (grade 2B) occurred more frequently in control lactoferrin knockout mice compared with control WT mice (16% versus 5%). Intraperitoneal treatment with Lactoferrin reduced the grade 2B lesions from 16% to 2% in Lactoferrin knockout mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The endogenous lactoferrin present in WT mice appears to reduce the choroidal neovascularization in the laser-induced choroidal neovascularization model in mice. Treatment with exogenous lactoferrin is capable of reducing the choroidal neovascularization in lactoferrin knockout mice but does not add a significant protective effect to WT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neurosciences, University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MN , USA and.
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Montezuma
authors.forename: Luke D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Dolezal
authors.forename: Abrar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rageh
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mar
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Deborah A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ferrington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002829:Choroid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Angiogenesis; choroidal neovascularization; lactoferrin; macular degeneration