Effect of Cyclosporine-A treatment on exprimental corneal neovascularization

Background and AimCorneal neovascularization is the presence of new vessels in cornea which causes the loose of transparency of cornea and finally low vision. In this study we generated experimental corneal neovascularization by using thermal cauterization and investigated the effect of subconjounctival cyclosporine A to new vessel generation. We aimed to investigate the effect of subconjounctival cyclosporine-A treatment on corneal neovascularization in this study.MethodsRight eyes of 24 wistar rats were included to study. They divided into 4 groups according to the treatment regime.Group 1: 0, 5 mg/0,01 cc subconjounctival cyclosporine?A (n=6).Group 2: 0.25 mg/0,01 cc subconjounctival cyclosporine?A (n=5).Group 3: 0.125 mg/0,01 cc subconjounctival cyclosporine?A (n=6).Group 4 (control group): no treatment (n=5Thermal cauterizations were applied to corneas 1 mm away from limbus at hour 3, 6, 9, 12. Subconjounctival cyclosporine?A injections were applied to temporal bulber conjounctivas according to the treatment regime in group 1, 2 and 36 weeks later we examined the rats under operation microscope. Ratio of the neovascular region, number of major blood vessels and scars were determinated. After the examination of each cornea enucleation was performed. Histopathologic examinations were made with paraffin block and hematoxilen-eosin painting. Blood vessels were counted in the histopathologic cornea sections.ResultsIn our study, we showed that in experimental corneal neovascularization, each concentration of subconjounctival cyclosporine-A (0,125 mg, 0,25 mg and 0,5 mg) reduce the number of blood vessels in cornea in histopathologic examination and in the examination under the operation microscope according to control group. We did not found difference among different treatment regimes. Also we showed that 0,5 mg subconjounctival cyclosporine?A injections (Group 1) reduces the neovascular region ratio according to control group.ConclusionSubconjounctival cyclosporine?A injection is an effective treatment in experimental corneal neovascularization.Key words: Corneal neovascularization, cyclosporine-A, thermal cauterization.