1. Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 suppresses allosensitization and promotes corneal allograft survival.
- Author
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Emami-Naeini P, Dohlman TH, Omoto M, Hattori T, Chen Y, Lee HS, Chauhan SK, and Dana R
- Subjects
- Animals, Coculture Techniques, Corneal Neovascularization immunology, Flow Cytometry, Glycoproteins metabolism, Graft Survival immunology, Isoantigens immunology, Lymphangiogenesis drug effects, Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed, Male, Membrane Transport Proteins, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 metabolism, Transplantation, Homologous, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C antagonists & inhibitors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D antagonists & inhibitors, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology, Cornea immunology, Corneal Neovascularization prevention & control, Graft Survival drug effects, Keratoplasty, Penetrating, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-3 pharmacology
- Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the effect of VEGF-C and VEGF-D blockade via soluble VEGFR-3 (sVEGFR-3) on T cell allosensitization, corneal neovascularization, and transplant survival., Methods: Corneal intrastromal suture placement and allogeneic transplantation were performed on BALB/c mice to evaluate the effect of sVEGFR-3 on corneal neovascularization. Soluble VEGFR-3 trap was injected intraperitoneally to block VEGF-C/D (every other day starting the day of surgery). Immunohistochemical staining of corneal whole mounts was performed using anti-CD31 (PECAM-1) and anti-LYVE-1 antibodies to quantify the levels of hem- and lymphangiogenesis, respectively. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) was performed to assess indirect and direct host T cell allosensitization and the frequencies of IFN-γ-producing T cells in the draining lymph nodes were assessed using flow cytometry. Graft opacity and survival was evaluated by slit-lamp biomicroscopy., Results: Treatment with sVEGFR-3 resulted in a significant blockade of lymphangiogenesis 2 weeks post-transplantation and significantly prolonged corneal allograft survival compared to the control group at 8 weeks post-transplantation (87.5 % vs. 50 %), and this was associated with significant reduction in the frequencies of allosensitized T cells and decreased frequencies of IFN-γ-producing CD4 T cells., Conclusions: Soluble VEGFR-3 suppresses corneal lymphangiogenesis and allograft rejection and may offer a viable therapeutic modality for corneal neovascularization and corneal transplantation.
- Published
- 2014
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