Title | Therapeutic potential of placental growth factor (PlGF) inhibition in scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery |
Purpose | We checked the hypothesis that placental growth factor (PlGF) may be a target for improvement of the outcome of glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS). |
Methods | The effect of the anti-murine PlGF-antibody (5D11D4) was investigated in a mouse model of GFS. Immediately after surgery 5D11D4 (5.2µg) or 1C8, an irrelevant mouse IgG antibody (4.8 µl), was injected in the anterior chamber (n=10 eyes for both groups). An anti-murine VEGF-R2 antibody (DC101) was used as a positive control (6.2 µg; n=10). Mice were killed on post-operative day 8. Treatment outcome was studied by clinical investigation of the bleb and by immunohistological stainings. All antibodies were kindly provided by ThromboGenics NV. |
Results | Treatment using the anti-PlGF antibody significantly improved surgical outcome by increasing bleb survival and bleb area with 29% compared to negative control (1C8). Postoperative inflammation and angiogenesis was reduced during the first days after surgery and collagen deposition was decreased at later stages. A single administration of anti-VEGF-R2 also significantly improved bleb area with 7% as compared to 1C8, but had no effect on bleb survival. Inhibition of VEGF-R2 only reduced angiogenesis and collagen deposition, but did not influence inflammation. |
Conclusion | Targeting PlGF with an inhibitory monoclonal antibody is efficacious in improving GFS outcome, possibly even more effectively than inhibition of VEGF-R2, due to its additional effect on inflammation. These results render PlGF an appealing target for ocular wound healing and point to the potential therapeutic benefits of PlGF-inhibition. |
Last name | VAN BERGEN |
Initials | T |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Jonckx |
Initials | B |
Department | ThromboGenics |
City | Heverlee |
Last name | Hollanders |
Initials | K |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Sijnave |
Initials | D |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Van de Velde |
Initials | S |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Vandewalle |
Initials | E |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Moons |
Initials | L |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |
Last name | Stassen |
Initials | JM |
Department | ThromboGenics |
City | Heverlee |
Last name | Stalmans |
Initials | I |
Department | KUL |
City | Leuven |