Impact of triamcinolone acetonide on retinal endothelial cells in a retinopathy of prematurity mouse model.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of different concentrations of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) on retinal endothelial cell proliferation in a retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) mouse model.

METHODS

A total of 24 C57BL/J6 mice were exposed to 75% oxygen from postnatal day 7 to day 12. On day 12, 10 mice (group B) were injected with 20 microg intravitreal TA (IVTA) and 14 mice (group C) were injected with 40 microg IVTA in one eye. The contralateral eyes were injected with isotonic saline (control group = group A). Four non-exposed mice served as negative controls (group D). The mice were killed on day 17 and the eyes removed for quantitative analysis of preretinal neovascularization. Neovascularization was quantified by counting the endothelial cell nuclei on the vitreal side of the inner limiting membrane of the retina.

RESULTS

The endothelial cell count per histological section was lower in groups B (1.4 +/- 1.7 cells; p < 0.00001) and C (0.9 +/- 1.4 cells; p < 0.000001) compared with the control group (group A, 17.0 +/- 4.8 cells). However, there was no significant difference in cell count between groups B and C (p = 0.430).

CONCLUSIONS

Triamcinolone acetonide suppresses endothelial cell proliferation in an ROP mouse model in vivo. There is no difference between dosages of 20 microg and 40 microg IVTA in experimental use in the suppression rates of endothelial cell proliferation.