title: Evaluating the safety of intracameral bevacizumab application using oxidative stress and apoptotic parameters in corneal tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the possible effects of intracameral bevacizumab on oxidative stress parameters and apoptosis in corneal tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 30 rats were assigned randomly into the following three groups of 10 rats each: a sham group (Group 1; n=10), a control group [Group 2; balanced salt solution (BSS) was administered at 0.01 mL; n=10], and a treatment group (Group 3; bevacizumab was administered at 0.25 mg/0.01 mL; n=10). The total antioxidant status (TAS) and the total oxidant status (TOS) in the corneal tissue and blood samples were measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. Additionally, corneal tissue histopathology was evaluated for caspase-3 and -8 staining and apoptotic activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the blood samples, the TAS, TOS, and OSI levels were not significantly different (all P>0.05). Compared with the sham and control groups, the TOS and OSI levels in the corneal tissues were significantly different in the bevacizumab group (all P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the sham and control groups (all P>0.05). However, compared with the sham and control groups, greater immunohistochemical staining for caspases-3 and -8 and an elevated level of apoptotic activity were observed in the bevacizumab group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that intracameral bevacizumab injections seemed to be systemically safe but may have elicited local toxic effects in the corneal tissue, as indicated by the oxidative stress parameters and histopathological evaluations.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Akal
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Turgay
authors: T
authors: Ulas
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Tugba
authors: T
authors: Goncu
authors: Department of Pathology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Muhammet Emin
authors: ME
authors: Guldur
authors: Department of Pathology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Sezen
authors: S
authors: Kocarslan
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Abdullah
authors: A
authors: Taskin
authors: Department of Biochemistry, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Hatice
authors: H
authors: Sezen
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Kudret
authors: K
authors: Ozkan
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Omer Faruk
authors: OF
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa 63300, Turkey.
authors: Hakan
authors: H
authors: Buyukhatipoglu
keywords: apoptosis; cornea; intracameral bevacizumab; oxidative stress