Abstract

This study investigated the effect of tetrandrine on the expressions of hypoxia inducible factor1α (HIF1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in neovascularized cornea of rats following alkaline burn. A rat model corneal neovascularization (CNV) was established by alkaline burn. The expressions of HIF1α and VEGF before and after tetrandrine treatment were detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and slit-lamp biomicroscopy and photography were done to observe the neovascularization. Result showed the expressions of HIF1α and VEGF in the normal cornea were very weak or even absent. Following alkaline burn, the expressions of HIF1α and VEGF were markedly increased and mainly located in the neovascularized area and in the epithelial layer. After treatment with Tetrandrine, the density of neovascularization was significantly decreased, accompanied by remarkably decreased expressions of HIF1α and VEGF in the neovascularized corneal stroma. It is concluded that tetrandrine can effectively inhibit the neovascularization following alkaline burn in rats and reduce the expressions of HIF1α and VEGF in neovascularized cornea of rats following alkaline burn.

Key words: Tetrandrine, corneal neovascularization, hypoxia inducible factor-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor.

Abbreviation

HIF1α, Hypoxia inducible factor1α; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; CNV, corneal neovascularization; mRNA, messenger ribonucleic acid; RNA,ribonucleic acid; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; EPO,erythropoietin; PLA2, phospholipase A2.