The role of VEGF in corneal neovascularization after chemical burn in rats

Objective To study the role of VEGF in corneal neovascularization after chemical burn in rats. Methods The corneal chemical burn animal models were made.At each day of seven days after burn, integration optic density (IOD) of VEGF in rats' cornea were measured with immunohistochemistry and computerized image analysis, and labeling index(LI) of vascular endothelial cells were measured with autoradiopophy. Results After chemical burn, VEGF IOD paralleled to LI of vascular endothelium in rats' cornea sighificantly. They rose markedly at day 1,reached the peak value at day 2 with VEGF IOD 491. 404±57.247 and LI (29.3 ± 1. 8)%, began to fall at day 3,and had fallen towards the basic level at day 7 with VEGF IOD 122 .319 ± 17 .225 and LI (9. 8 ±0. 8)%. Conclusion VEGF has specific function in promoting mitosis of vascular endothelial cells and is an effective endogenetic corneal vascular growth factor. VEGF is correlated with corneal neovascularization after chemical burn temporally. VEGF plays a very important role in the formation of corneal new vascular vessels.