Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 contributes to the corneal anti-angiogenic barrier
- Balamurali K. Ambati (bambati{at}mail.mcg.edu),
- Emory Patterson,
- Pooja Jani,
- Crystal Jenkins,
- Eric Higgins,
- Nirbhai Singh,
- Tushar Suthar,
- Nehali Vira,
- Kimberly Smith,
- Ruth Caldwell
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Medical College of Georgia, United States
- Published Online First 6 December 2006
Abstract
Purpose: Pathological neovascularization within the normally avascular cornea is a serious event that can interfere with normal vision. Upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been associated with neovascularization in the eye, suggesting that maintaining low levels of VEGF is important for corneal avascularity and intact vision. This study aims to determine the expression profile and possible contribution of sVEGFR-1 to the corneal avascular barrier.
Design: Experimental case series investigating VEGF and sFlt levels in normal and neovascularized human corneas.
Participants: Four normal human corneas, five human corneas with alkali burns, three human corneas with aniridia, one with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid and two with interstitial keratitis were examined.
Methods: Western Blot analysis and immunohistochemistry were performed to determine sFlt and VEGF levels in normal and neovascularized human corneas. Immunoprecipitation was utilized to demonstrate sFlt-VEGF binding.
Results: Normal human corneas strongly express sFlt in the corneal epithelium and weakly in the corneal stroma close to the limbus. VEGF is bound by sFlt in the normal human cornea. Neovascularized human corneas have greatly reduced expression of sFlt and significantly less VEGF bound by sFlt.
Conclusions: sFlt is highly expressed in the human cornea and normally sequesters VEGF.
