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Originally published In Press as doi:10.1167/iovs.08-1997 on November 7, 2008
 (Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 2009;50:1659-1665.)
© 2009 by The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.
doi:10.1167/iovs.08-1997
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Subconjunctival Injection of Bevacizumab (Avastin) on Corneal Neovascularization in Different Rabbit Models of Corneal Angiogenesis

Wei-Li Chen,1,2 Chung-Tien Lin,3 Nien-Ting Lin,3 I-Hua Tu,1,2 Jing-Wen Li,1,2 Lu-Ping Chow,4 Kwan-Rong Liu,1 and Fung-Rong Hu1,2

1From the Department of Ophthalmology, and the 2Center of Corneal Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Biology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; and the 3Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bio-Resource and Agriculture, and the 4Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

PURPOSE. Bevacizumab is a potent recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody directed against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab on corneal neovascularization (NV) in different rabbit models.

METHODS. Several rabbit models of corneal NV were used, including (1) a corneal micropocket assay with VEGF pellet, (2) a corneal micropocket assay with basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) pellets, (3) mechanical limbal injury–induced corneal NV, and (4) an alkali-induced model of corneal NV. Subconjunctival injections of bevacizumab (0.25–2.5 mg) were applied twice per week for 2 to 8 weeks. Digital photographs of the cornea were analyzed to determine the length of corneal NV and the area of cornea covered by NV as a percentage of the total corneal area. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-human IgG antibody labeled with Cy3 was used to determine the detection of intracorneal distribution of bevacizumab after injection.

RESULTS. Subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab caused significant inhibition of corneal NV formation as measured by length or surface area in all animal models (P < 0.05). No significant ocular complications were found. Staining of bevacizumab was found in the corneal stroma for 3 to at least 14 days in the different rabbit models.

CONCLUSIONS. Subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab is effective in inhibiting corneal NV in several rabbit models. Bevacizumab may diffuse into the corneal stroma and persist for a few days after injection. It may be useful in preventing corneal NV in the acute phase of various kinds of corneal inflammation.






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