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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

An Alkali-burn Injury Model of Corneal Neovascularization in the Mouse
Published on: April 7, 2014
The anti-inflammatory effect of subconjunctival bevacizumab on chemically burned rat corneas
Joo Youn Oh1, Mee Kum Kim, Mi Sun Shin
1Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Purpose:
To investigate the effect of bevacizumab in a model of corneal inflammation.
Materials And Methods:
Epithelium from the cornea and limbus was completely removed using 100% alcohol in rats. Bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) or normal saline was subconjunctivally injected. One week later, corneas were examined and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin and immunofluorescent staining for VEGF. Expression of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-6, and TGF-beta 1 were analyzed by ELISA.
Results:
Bevacizumab showed a borderline reduction in corneal neovascularization (11.0 +/- 4.8% and 18.0 +/- 10.0% in the bevacizumab and control groups, respectively; p = 0.054), while the extent of epithelialization was not affected (5.0 +/- 3.4% and 6.1 +/- 5.2% in the bevacizumab and control groups, respectively; p = 0.715). The infiltration of inflammatory cells was reduced (99.3 +/- 22.3 cells/x 400 in the bevacizumab-injected corneas and 182.3 +/- 58.0 cells/x 400 in the controls; p = 0.013). The levels of IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-6 were decreased in the rats with the bevacizumab injections (44 +/- 6 and 79 +/- 9 pg/ml for IL-2 in the bevacizumab-injected group and control, respectively, p = 0.025; 45 +/- 5 and 67 +/- 6 pg/ml for IFN-gamma in the bevacizumab-injected group and controls, respectively, p = 0.043; 45 +/- 6 and 75 +/- 8 pg/ml for IL-6 in the bevacizumab-injected group and controls, respectively, p = 0.030).
Conclusions:
Bevacizumab showed a reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration and cytokines in chemically burned rat corneas.

