Doxycycline-mediated Inhibition of Choroidal Neovascularization
Sonia Samtani 1,
Juan Amaral 1,
Maria M Campos 2,
Robert Fariss 1,
and
S. Patricia Becerra 1*
1 NEI - NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
2 NEI-NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: becerrap{at}nei.nih.gov.
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Abstract |
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PURPOSE. Doxycycline, a broad spectrum antibiotic, has certain anti-angiogenic properties and can inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs/gelatinases). We investigated the effects of doxycycline on choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and regulation of MMP-2/-9 and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF).
METHODS. Doxycycline was orally administered to rats at 500, 50, 5, and 0.5 mg/kg/day, using non-treated animals as controls. Experimental CNV was induced with laser 7 days after doxycycline treatment started. At seven days post-induction, animals were euthanized, and eyes collected. RPE/choroid flat-mounts were labeled with isolectin IB4 to determine CNV lesion volumes using confocal microscopy and Volocity® software. MMP-2, MMP-9 and PEDF protein levels were determined by ELISA. MMP catalytic activity was determined in solution using fluorogenic gelatin and peptide substrates, by gelatin zymography in SDS-PAGE and by in situ DQ-gelatin zymography in RPE/choroid sections.
RESULTS. CNV complex lesion volumes decreased with doxycycline in a dose-response relationship. A dosage of 500 mg/kg/day caused a 70% inhibition of CNV complex volume compared to control animals. Doxycycline elevated PEDF levels in plasma, and did not affect the plasma pro- and active MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels. However, the in vitro enzymatic activities of purified MMP-2 and MMP-9 declined significantly with doxycycline. MMP-2, MMP-9 and gelatinolytic activities in situ increased early in CNV lesion development. Doxycycline treatments and exogenous additions inhibited gelatinolytic activities in CNV lesions.
CONCLUSIONS. Doxycycline effectively hampered the progression of experimental CNV. The results suggest that orally administrated doxycycline can reach the choroid to attenuate proteolytic enzymes that remodel Bruch's membrane and promote the anti-angiogenic PEDF to inhibit neovascularization.
Key Words:
experimental choroidal neovascularization, metalloproteinases, MMP enzymatic assays, doxycycline, PEDF
