Impact of trastuzumab on wound healing in experimental glaucoma surgery.

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effects of subconjunctivally administered trastuzumab on wound healing in experimental glaucoma filtration surgery.

DESIGN

Comparative, experimental study.

SAMPLES: Twenty eight eyes.

METHODS

Twenty-eight male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups, each including seven rabbits: The rabbits in the control group were not operated on and did not receive any treatment. The rabbits in the sham group underwent trabeculectomy and had one drop of saline instilled four times a day for 14 days. The rabbits in the mitomycin-C group underwent trabeculectomy, and a sponge soaked in 0.4 mg/mL mitomycin-C was applied intraoperatively to the scleral surgical site for 3 min. The rabbits in the trastuzumab group underwent trabeculectomy and were injected subconjunctivally once with 1.2 mg/0.1 mL of the drug. On day 14 of the experiment, the operated and control eyes were enucleated and immunohistochemically analyzed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean values of fibroblast, mononuclear cell and immunostaining intensities of the transforming growth factor-β, fibroblast growth factor-β, and platelet derived growth factor.

RESULTS

The mean cell numbers and immunostaining intensities in the sham group were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01). The mean cell numbers and immunostaining intensities in the mitomycin-C group and trastuzumab group were statistically significantly lower than those of the sham group (P < 0.01) while mean cell numbers and immunostaining intensities in the mitomycin-C group and trastuzumab group were similar (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Subconjunctival trastuzumab injection effectively suppressed subconjunctival scarring after experimental glaucoma filtration surgery.