title: [Ursolic acid inhibits corneal graft rejection following orthotopic allograft transplantation in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of ursolic acid on corneal graft rejection in a rat model of othotopic corneal allograft transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight recipient Wistar rats were divided into normal control group with saline treatment (group A), autograft group with saline treatment (group B), SD rat allograft group with saline treatment (group C), and SD rat allograft group with intraperitoneal ursolic acid (UA) treatment group (group D). The rats received saline or UC (20 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1)) treatment for 12 days following othotopic graft transplantation. The grafts were evaluated using the Larkin corneal rejection rating system, and the graft survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis. On day 14, the grafts were harvested for histological examination, Western blotting, and assessment of expressions of interlukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) p65, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The allograft survival was significantly longer in group D than in group C (29.12±9.58 vs 9.67±2.16 days, P<0.05). UC treatment obviously reduced the expression levels of IL-2, IFN-γ, NF-κBp65, ICAM-1 and VEGF and increased inhibitory kappa B alpha (IκB-α) expression in the grafts, where no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration or corneal neovascularization was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a NF-κB inhibitor, ursolic acid can prevent corneal neovascularization and corneal allograft rejection to promote graft survival in rats following orthotopic corneal allograft transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. E-mail: Annawb@163.com.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Ping-Ping
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014315:Triterpenes; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000097245:Ursolic Acid; C000606206:Nfkbia protein, rat; C498145:Rela protein, rat; C467498:vascular endothelial growth factor A, rat