Anti-apoptosis effects of vascular endothelial cadherin in experimental corneal neovascularization

To explore the effects and mechanism of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) on experimental corneal neovascularization (CRNV).

Mouse corneas were burned with sodium hydroxide to build a CRNV model. The burned corneas were locally administrated with anti-mouse VE-cadherin neutralizing antibody. Annexin V and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) double staining was used to measure vascular endothelial cell apoptosis with the use of flow cytometry (FCM). The protein expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2), caspase-3, and protein kinase C (PKC) in the burned corneas were examined by Western blot. Human retinal endothelial cell (HREC) proliferation was detected using a Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay in vitro.

The amount of CRNV peaked two weeks after the alkali burn. FCM confirmed that VE-cadherin neutralizing antibody treatment increased CD31 positive cell apoptosis. Western blot revealed that the intracorneal protein expression of Nox2 and caspase-3 were up-regulated, while PKC was down-regulated in the VE-cadherin neutralizing antibody administrated group. CCK-8 assay showed that VE-cadherin neutralizing antibody markedly inhibited HREC proliferation.

VE-cadherin exhibited an anti-apoptosis effect through enhanced PKC signaling and an enhanced cell proliferation pathway.