Effect of Glucocorticoid (Triamcinolone Acetonide) Pretreatment in a Murine Penetrating Keratoplasty and Suture Model

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the effect of glucocorticoid (triamcinolone acetonide injectable suspension) pre-treatment on corneal neovascularization, lymphangiogenesis, and inflammation in a murine penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and corneal suture model. Methods For the PK model, BALB/c mice were used as recipients and C57BL/6 mice were used as donors. A group pre-treated with subconjunctival glucocorticoid and a combination of post-subconjunctival and topical glucocorticoids (Group I) was compared to two groups that did not receive glucocorticoid pre-treatment (one group received a combination of subconjunctival and topical glucocorticoids post-op (Group II), the other group received only topical glucocorticoid treatment post-op (Group III)). All groups were treated with subconjunctival glucocorticoid on the day of surgery. For the corneal suture model BALB/c mice were used. A group receiving only pre-suture glucocorticoid treatment (Group A) and a group receiving only post-suture glucocorticoid treatment (Group C) were compared to a control group that did not receive glucocorticoid therapy (Group B). The degree of neovascularization, lymphangiogenesis, and inflammatory infiltration was compared in each of these models. Results In the PK model, the group receiving glucocorticoid pre-treatment (Group I) showed less neovascularization compared to the post-treatment only groups (Group II: p=0.043, Group III: p=0.020) and less lymphangiogenesis compared to Group III (p=0.005). In the corneal suture model, the glucocorticoid pre-treatment group showed a similar level of neovascularization, lymphangiogenesis, and inflammatory infiltration as the post-treatment only groups (p>0.05). Conclusion Glucocorticoid pretreatment prior to penetrating keratoplasty decreases neovascularization and lymphangiogenesis compared to post-transplant glucocorticoid treatment alone.

Corneal neovascularization and contemporary antiangiogenic therapeutics

“…83 Another study using a murine keratoplasty model found that combined pre-and posttreatment of subconjunctival glucocorticoid led to less hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, compared with the result of using post-treatment only. 84 By contrast, both preand post-treatment of glucocorticoid showed similar effects of reducing hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in a murine suture corneal model. 84 …”

“…84 By contrast, both preand post-treatment of glucocorticoid showed similar effects of reducing hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in a murine suture corneal model. 84 …”

Presurgical Corticosteroid Treatment Improves Corneal Transplant Survival in Mice

“…20,21 We previously found that corticosteroid delivery before an angiogenic stimulus such as NRPK or a corneal suture is effective in reducing angiogenesis, LY, and inflammatory infiltration. 6 Herein, we used 3 different corneal transplantation models to compare the effects of corticosteroid treatment, and in each model, the effect of corticosteroids was tested according to the time period in which it was administered.…”

“…1 We previously revealed the positive effect of corticosteroid pretreatment in decreasing neovascularization (NV) in a PK model. 6 In this study, we hypothesized that there would be a difference in NV and inflammation based on when the corticosteroids were administered. We divided the time period around PK into 3 periods: before the PK, soon after the PK, and late after the PK.…”

Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 is essential for corneal alymphaticity

“…We monitored for graft rejection by a standardized opacity grading (0-5) system using previously described methods. [25][26][27][28] Opacity grades 3 and above were considered a graft rejection.…”