Expression and significance of SDF-1/CXCR4 in alkali-burned cornealtissue in mouse

Abstract

Background Recent research showed that stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) plays critical role in mediating inflammation,metastasis of tumour and neovascularization of tumour.However,There is still no report about the research of the effects of SDF-1 on alkali-burn-induced corneal neovascularization (CNV).Objective The aim of this study attempts to investigate the role of SDF-1 and chemokine receptor CXCR4 in alkali-induced corneal neovascularization in mice.Methods Alkali-induced-corneal neovascularization animal models were constructed of in 15 eyes of 15 clean C57/BL mice by placing the filter paper with 1 mol/L NaOH to the central cornea for 10 seconds.The animals were sacrificed and specimens of cornea were obtained in 3,7,14 days after alkali burn of cornea.The expression of SDF-1/CXCR4 protein in the corneal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot,and expression of SDF-1/CXCR4 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR).Results SDF-1 was absent expressed and CXCR4 was faintly stained in normal cornea.The expression level of SDF-1 and CXCR4 was significantly enhanced in different time points after alkali burn in comparison with normal control mice by RT-PCR(P＜0.05),and the same trend was seen in the expression level of SDF-1 and CXCR4 proteins by Western blot (P＜0.05).The expression level of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in cornea peaked in the seventh day and began to decline in the fourteenth day but was still higher than normal level.Conclusion The study indicates that SDF-1/CXCR4 plays an important role in the formation of corneal new vessel in alkali-burn-induced animal model. Key words: alkali burn; corneal neovascularization; stromal cell-derived factor-1; CXCR4