Dusan Rasic, Martin Wirenfeldt, Anne Louise Askou, Thomas J Corydon, Niklas Telinius
{"title":"Local Adenoviral Delivery of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C Induces Lymphangiogenesis in the Conjunctiva in Rabbits.","authors":"Dusan Rasic, Martin Wirenfeldt, Anne Louise Askou, Thomas J Corydon, Niklas Telinius","doi":"10.1159/000533427","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The purpose of this study was to determine if conjunctival lymphangiogenesis can be induced using adenoviral delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Seventeen New Zealand white rabbits received a subconjunctival injection containing 3.5 × 107 plaque-forming units of an adenoviral vector containing the gene-encoding VEGF-C (Ad-VEGF-C). The contralateral eye was used for control experiment (the same volume of either saline or an empty vector). After 2 weeks, the animals were examined with trypan blue conjunctival lymphangiography, and the eyes were harvested for histology and immunohistochemistry (podoplanin and CD31).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Trypan blue conjunctival lymphangiography revealed significantly more extensive conjunctival vessel network in the Ad-VEGF-C group compared with control: 1.35 ± 0.67 versus 0.28 ± 0.17 vessel length/analysed area (p = <0.0001). This finding was confirmed with immunohistochemistry, where a significant increase in the number of lymphatic vessels was found compared to control; 34 ± 9 per mm2 versus 13 ± 8 per mm2 (p = 0.0019). Furthermore, there was a significant increase in lymphatic cross-sectional area; 32,500 ± 7,900 µm2 per mm2 versus 17,600 ± 9,700 µm2 per mm2 (p = 0.0149). Quantification of blood vessels revealed no significant difference in blood vessel density between Ad-VEGF-C and control; 19 ± 9 per mm2 versus 14 ± 8 per mm2 (p = 0.1971). There was no significant difference in total blood vessel area; 13,200 ± 7,600 µm2 per mm2 versus 7,100 ± 3,000 µm2 per mm2 (p = 0.0715). Eyes treated with an adenoviral vector (VEGF-C or empty vector) responded with a reactive cellular response, predominantly lymphocytes, towards the vector.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study demonstrates the feasibility of inducing conjunctival lymphangiogenesis with a single subconjunctival injection of Ad-VEGF-C. Future studies will explore how this can be used with a therapeutic purpose.</p>","PeriodicalId":19662,"journal":{"name":"Ophthalmic Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10614503/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ophthalmic Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000533427","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/8/9 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"OPHTHALMOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine if conjunctival lymphangiogenesis can be induced using adenoviral delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C).
Methods: Seventeen New Zealand white rabbits received a subconjunctival injection containing 3.5 × 107 plaque-forming units of an adenoviral vector containing the gene-encoding VEGF-C (Ad-VEGF-C). The contralateral eye was used for control experiment (the same volume of either saline or an empty vector). After 2 weeks, the animals were examined with trypan blue conjunctival lymphangiography, and the eyes were harvested for histology and immunohistochemistry (podoplanin and CD31).
Results: Trypan blue conjunctival lymphangiography revealed significantly more extensive conjunctival vessel network in the Ad-VEGF-C group compared with control: 1.35 ± 0.67 versus 0.28 ± 0.17 vessel length/analysed area (p = <0.0001). This finding was confirmed with immunohistochemistry, where a significant increase in the number of lymphatic vessels was found compared to control; 34 ± 9 per mm2 versus 13 ± 8 per mm2 (p = 0.0019). Furthermore, there was a significant increase in lymphatic cross-sectional area; 32,500 ± 7,900 µm2 per mm2 versus 17,600 ± 9,700 µm2 per mm2 (p = 0.0149). Quantification of blood vessels revealed no significant difference in blood vessel density between Ad-VEGF-C and control; 19 ± 9 per mm2 versus 14 ± 8 per mm2 (p = 0.1971). There was no significant difference in total blood vessel area; 13,200 ± 7,600 µm2 per mm2 versus 7,100 ± 3,000 µm2 per mm2 (p = 0.0715). Eyes treated with an adenoviral vector (VEGF-C or empty vector) responded with a reactive cellular response, predominantly lymphocytes, towards the vector.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates the feasibility of inducing conjunctival lymphangiogenesis with a single subconjunctival injection of Ad-VEGF-C. Future studies will explore how this can be used with a therapeutic purpose.
期刊介绍:
''Ophthalmic Research'' features original papers and reviews reporting on translational and clinical studies. Authors from throughout the world cover research topics on every field in connection with physical, physiologic, pharmacological, biochemical and molecular biological aspects of ophthalmology. This journal also aims to provide a record of international clinical research for both researchers and clinicians in ophthalmology. Finally, the transfer of information from fundamental research to clinical research and clinical practice is particularly welcome.