EXPERIMENTAL CORNEAL NEOVASCULARIZATION USING SUCRALFATE AND BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR

Purpose: To develop a non-inflammatory model of both acute and chronic angiogenesis in the rabbit cornea using a known directly angiogenic c ytokine. Methods: Pellets made of the slow-release polymer Hydron (pol yhydroxyethylmethacrylate) and containing sucralfate and/or basic fibr oblast growth factor (basic-FGF) were implanted into rabbit corneas. T he neovascular response to the implantation of pellets containing basi c-FGF alone, sucralfate alone or a titration of basic-FGF in the prese nce of a constant amount of sucralfate was measured. The role of infla mmation in the neovascular response was also investigated. Results: Th e addition of sucralfate to the pellets led to the sustained release o f basic-FGF resulting in a predictable and aggressive neovascular resp onse with a low dose of basic-FGF that by itself was unable to elicit neovascularisation. At a dose of 500 ng per pellet, approximately one- third of the surface area of the cornea was vascularised within eight days of implantation. Minimal or no vascularisation occurred with the same dose of basic-FGF without sucralfate. White this dose of basic-FG F induced corneal oedema, only minimal inflammation was observed and t he response was unaffected by ionising radiation. A less aggressive th ough still robust neovascular response with no or only minimal oedema was observed when the dose was lowered to 50 ng of basic-FGF per pelle t. Some induced Vessels persisted for more than three months. Conclusi on: This is an inexpensive in vivo model of angiogenesis with the adva ntages of the neovascularisation being aggressive, predictable, persis tent, unassociated with an obvious inflammatory response and induced b y the sustained release of an agent known to have a direct stimulatory action on endothelial cells.