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Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Model for Ischemic Retinal Diseases in Rodents
Published on: September 16, 2020
[The inhibitory effects of FK228 on retinal neovascularization]
1Department of Ophthalmology, the Second College of Clinical Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China. liyanli62@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To explore the inhibitory effects of FK228 on retinal neovascularization.
Methods:
One-week-old C57BL/6J mice were put into the environment with 75% oxygen for 5 days to establish models of vascular proliferation retinopathy. These mice were divided into normal control, high oxygen control and treatment groups (One eye of each mouse received an intravitreal injection of 250 ng of FK228, and the same volume of DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide) was injected into the other eye of the mice both in these two groups as a control). The ADPase histochemical straining was used for retinal flatmount to observe changes of retinal vessels. The inhibitory effects of FK228 on retinal neovascularization were evaluated by counting the endotheliocyte nuclei of new vessels extending from retina to vitreous in the tissue-slice.
Results:
Disorganized distribution and high density of retinal vessels and retinal neovascularization of 17-day-old mice in the high oxygen control; regular distributions and reduced density of retinal blood vessels in eyes in the treatment group were found in retinal flatmount. The number of the endotheliocyte nLlclei of new vessels extending from retina to vitreous was less in the eyes in the treatment group than which in control group (P < 0.01).
Conclusions:
Retinal neovascularization can be inhibited by intravitreal injection of FK228 which suggest that intravitreal injection of FK228 may have potential therapeutic benefits in retinal vascular disease.
Insights
FK228 effectively inhibits retinal neovascularization in a mouse model. Intravitreal injection of FK228 reduced new blood vessel growth, suggesting therapeutic potential for retinal vascular diseases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Vascular Biology
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Retinal neovascularization is a hallmark of several vision-threatening diseases.
- Oxygen-induced retinopathy models are crucial for studying neovascularization.
- Histochemical staining and tissue slicing are key methods for evaluating vascular changes.
Purpose:
- To investigate the efficacy of FK228 in inhibiting retinal neovascularization.
- To assess the impact of FK228 on blood vessel density and structure in a retinopathy model.
Summary:
- FK228 was administered via intravitreal injection in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy.
- Retinal flatmounts showed reduced neovascularization and regular blood vessel distribution in FK228-treated eyes.
- Quantification of endothelial cell nuclei confirmed a significant reduction in new vessel growth (P < 0.01).
Impact:
- FK228 demonstrates significant inhibitory effects on retinal neovascularization.
- Intravitreal FK228 presents a potential therapeutic strategy for managing retinal vascular diseases.
- This study contributes to understanding novel treatments for conditions like diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
