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Purpose: To investigate the association between retinal neovascularization and the CC chemokine receptor-3 (CCR3) in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR)., Methods: An OIR model in C57BL/6J mice was used as a retinal neovascularization model. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to evaluate the chronological change in vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and eotaxin expressions. CCR3 and VEGF subtype expression in the retina was examined using real-time RT-PCR, and CCR3, eotaxin, VEGF-A, and CD31 expression was examined immunohistochemically. A CCR3 neutralizing antibody (Ab) was injected into the vitreous humor on both postnatal days 12 (P12) and 14 (P14). Retinal neovascularizations were quantified by measurement of the percentages of neovascular area., Results: The mean eotaxin and VEGF-A protein level was significantly downregulated at P10 and P12 and was significantly upregulated at P14 and P17 (p < 0.05). CCR3 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated at P12 (p < 0.05). VEGF164 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated at P14 (p < 0.05). The areas of vaso-obliteration and neovascularization were significantly suppressed in anti-CCR3 Ab-treated eyes (p < 0.05). Anti-CCR3 Ab treatment suppressed VEGF and eotaxin but not monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. And VEGF 164 mRNA but not VEGF120 mRNA was suppressed by anti-CCR3 Ab treatment., Conclusions: The present data suggest that anti-CCR3 treatment can suppress retinal neovascularization. Anti-CCR3 treatment may have potential as a new therapy for retinopathies with retinal neovascularization such as diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity., (© 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: We investigate the antiangiogenic efficacy of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) on experimental laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in mice., Methods: After CNV was induced by laser photocoagulation in 92 C57BL/6J wild-type mice, tPA (4 or 40 international units [IU]/μl) or PBS was injected intravitreally immediately after laser injury. Fluorescein angiography was performed on day 7 to grade CNV leakage. The CNV volume was measured by confocal microscopy in eyes enucleated 7 days after laser injury. Immunohistochemical studies were performed 3 days after laser injury to evaluate fibrin/fibrinogen and CD31 expression. The possible adverse effects of tPA were assessed by electroretinography (ERG) and histology on day 7., Results: Intravitreal administration of tPA significantly suppressed CNV leakage and CNV volume in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). Intravitreal injection of tPA suppressed fibrin/fibrinogen and CD31 expression in laser-induced lesions. Histologic examination and ERG showed no evidence of retinal toxicity in eyes injected with tPA., Conclusions: Intravitreal injection of tPA suppressed fibrin/fibrinogen expression and laser-induced CNV. The current results suggested that tPA may be a potential therapeutic adjuvant for treating CNV.

This report describes a 19-year-old patient with the rare association of multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Despite the initial diagnosis of MEWDS, her vision significantly decreased. Fluorescein angiography showed dye leakage and pooling at the macula, whereas optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed cystoid macular edema and serous neuroepithelial elevation. The dye leakage and pooling made it impossible to diagnose CNV. However, OCT angiography (OCTA) revealed a vascular structure in the outer retina, thereby leading to the CNV diagnosis. Visual acuity improved after an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection. OCTA proved to be useful in the diagnosis of CNV. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:580-584.]., (Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.)

Purpose: To observe changes in fundus autofluorescence 2 years after implantation of blue light-filtering (yellow-tinted) and ultraviolet light-filtering (colorless) intraocular lenses (IOLs)., Setting: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan, and the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland., Design: Prospective comparative observational study., Methods: Patients were enrolled who had cataract surgery with implantation of a yellow-tinted or colorless IOL and for whom images were obtained on which the fundus autofluorescence was measurable using the Heidelberg Retina Angiogram 2 postoperatively. The fundus autofluorescence in the images was classified into 8 abnormal patterns based on the classification of the International Fundus Autofluorescence Classification Group, The presence of normal fundus autofluorescence, geographic atrophy, and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) also was recorded. The fundus findings at baseline and 2 years postoperatively were compared., Results: Fifty-two eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL and 79 eyes with a colorless IOL were included. Abnormal fundus autofluorescence did not develop or increase in the yellow-tinted IOL group; however, progressive abnormal fundus autofluorescence developed or increased in 12 eyes (15.2%) in the colorless IOL group (P = .0016). New drusen, geographic atrophy, and choroidal neovascularization were observed mainly in the colorless IOL group. The incidence of AMD was statistically significantly higher in the colorless IOL group (P = .042)., Conclusions: Two years after cataract surgery, significant differences were seen in the progression of abnormal fundus autofluorescence between the 2 groups. The incidence of AMD was lower in eyes with a yellow-tinted IOL., Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned., (Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pulse duration on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the murine retina after laser photocoagulation treatment with a PASCAL(®) pattern scan laser photocoagulator and conventional laser treatment., Methods: Retinal scatter laser photocoagulation was performed on C57BL/6J mice using a short pulse (10 ms) with a PASCAL laser or conventional settings (100 ms) with a multicolor laser. Eyes were enucleated before treatment (control) and 1 day, 3 days and 7 days after treatment. The levels of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., VEGF, MCP-1, RANTES and IL-6) in the retina/choroid were quantified by an ELISA. The expression patterns of VEGF and macrophages (i.e., F4/80) in the retina/choroid were evaluated by immunohistochemistry., Results: The levels of RANTES, IL-6 and MCP-1 after PASCAL and conventional laser treatments were significantly elevated compared with controls (p < 0.05). Conventional laser treatment, but not PASCAL treatment, resulted in the up-regulation of VEGF. RANTES and IL-6 levels on day 1 and MCP-1 levels on day 3 in the sensory retina were also significantly up-regulated with conventional laser treatment compared with PASCAL treatment (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that PASCAL treatment was associated with lower VEGF and F4/80 expression levels compared with conventional laser treatment., Conclusions: Our data suggested that the short pulse duration induced fewer inflammatory cytokines in the sensory retina compared with the conventional pulse duration. Short pulse laser photocoagulation with the PASCAL may prevent macular edema after panretinal photocoagulation.

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine changes in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in murine retina after retinal scatter laser photocoagulation., Methods: Photocoagulation (PHC) was performed on wild-type C57BL/6J mice using a diode laser, and the eyes were enucleated 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 14 days after laser treatment. VEGF and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 levels in the sensory retina and retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells in both tissues were measured by ELISA. The VEGF mRNA was measured by real-time RT-PCR. Leukocyte infiltration into the RPE-choroid was determined by flow cytometry. VEGF comparisons between mice subjected to PHC and those treated with monocyte recruitment inhibitor (anti-MCP-1) were performed and statistically analyzed. The expression of VEGF and MCP-1 in the retina was determined by immunohistochemistry., Results: VEGF protein levels significantly increased 1 day after PHC in both the RPE-choroid and the sensory retina. VEGF concentrations were maximum at day 3 after photocoagulation and stayed elevated until day 7. The number of choroid-infiltrating macrophages was markedly increased in mice with laser treatment compared with those without laser treatment. VEGF expression decreased after treatment with neutralized antibody to monocyte recruitment. We demonstrate that MCP-1 expression in the retina increased markedly after scatter laser photocoagulation by immunohistochemistry and ELISA., Conclusions: Retinal scatter laser photocoagulation induced upregulation of VEGF in the sensory retina and RPE-choroid at an early period. The authors speculate that the major source of VEGF in the retina after retinal scatter laser photocoagulation is the recruited monocytes.