The Effect of Interferon Alpha 2a Subconjunctival Injection on New Blood Vessel Growth and Regression in Rabbit Cornea

Kim, Seung Gi; Kim, Yong Yeon; Lee, Tae Soo

Abstract

The authors studied the effect of locally administered interferon alpha on ocular neovascularization. Ten albino rabbits were divided into two groups and the effect of interferon subconjunctival injection on new blood vessel growth(group I) and regression of established neovasculization(group II) was observed in rabbit cornea. A 7-0 mersilk suture was placed into the corneal stroma 3 mm from the superior limbus of each eye in 5 rabbits in group I. Interferon alpha 2a(1.5 million units/day) was injected subconjunctivally in one eye for 7 days(group I a), the contralateral eye received 0.5 ml of normal saline(group I b). New vessel growth was measured using a grading system(grade 0 to 4) by a masked observer. In group II, 15 days after the placement of corneal suture for the development of complete corneal neovascularization, interferon alpha 2a(1.5 million units/day, group II a) and normal saline(group II b) was injected for 9 days in each eye in 5 rabbits to observe regression of the new vessels. Interferon injection eyes showed slower corneal new vessel growth than the control eyes in group I at 5 and 10 days after placement of the suture(p<0.05), but the authors did not observe regression of the new vessels after 9-days injection of interferon in group II.