glucuronyl-glucosamine-glycan-sulfate and Retinal-Neovascularization

Sulodexide is a mixed glycosaminoglycan composed of heparin and dermatan sulfate. In this study, the anti-angiogenic effect of sulodexide was investigated using an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) mouse model. The retinas of sham-injected OIR mice (P17) had a distinctive central area of nonperfusion, and this area was significantly decreased in sulodexide-injected mice. The number of neovascular tufts measured by SWIFT_NV and mean neovascular lumen number were significantly decreased in sulodexide-injected mice. Hyperbaric oxygen exposure resulted in increased levels of VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9, and when mice were treated with sulodexide, a dose-dependent reduction in VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels was observed. Our results clearly demonstrate the anti-angiogenic effect of sulodexide and highlight sulodexide as a candidate supplementary substance to be used for the treatment of ocular pathologies that involve neovascularization.

Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Glycosaminoglycans; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Oxygen; Retina; Retinal Diseases; Retinal Neovascularization; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A