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Updated: Sep 21, 2025
Ex Vivo and In Vivo Animal Models for Mechanical and Chemical Injuries of Corneal Epithelium
Published on: April 6, 2022
Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Inhibits Corneal Blood and Lymphatic Vessels Temporarily in Alkali-Burned Rabbits
Lijun Wang1,2, Jia Wang3, Hongkun Sun4
1Department of Ophthalmology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Purpose:
This study aimed to explore whether corneal cross-linking (CXL) could regress corneal blood vessels (CBV) and corneal lymphatic vessels (CLV) in alkali-burned rabbits.
Methods:
A total of 80 rabbits 2-3 months old weighing 1.5-2.0 kg were randomly divided into four groups: CXL7 group; CTL7 group; CXL14 group; and CTL14 group. Then, 3% sodium pentobarbital 1 ml/kg and tetracaine eye drop 5 g/L were administered before surgery. NaOH 2 mol/L was topically applied to the central cornea to establish the alkali burning model. Then CXL was administered within 2 h in groups CXL7 and CXL14. Corneal opacity and edema, CBV and CLV volume, cluster differentiation 31 (CD31), and lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor 1 (LYVE-1) expression levels were analyzed on days 7 and 14.
Results:
CXL reduced cornea opacity, CNV, and CLV volumes on day 7 in alkali-burned rabbits. However, CNV and CLV volumes were increased on day 14. CXL also showed down- and upregulation of CD31 and LYVE-1 expression levels on days 7 and 14, respectively.
Conclusions:
CXL effectively regulated CBV and CLV in alkali-burned rabbits. The transient angioregression and lymphangioregression induced by CXL may be potentially helpful in vascularized high-risk eyes.
