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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Animals, Antigen-Presenting Cells, Autoimmunity, Cell Movement, Corneal Transplantation, Dendritic Cells, Disease Models, Animal, Flow Cytometry, Graft Rejection, Graft Survival, Immunohistochemistry, Lymphangiogenesis, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Transplantation, Homologous, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C.
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Does vascular endothelial growth factor-C promote alloimmunity by amplifying antigen-presenting cell maturation and lymphangiogenesis? Context: To investigate the role of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C therapy in corneal graft survival and concomitant suppression of hem- and lymph-angiogenesis. Corneal suture model in BALB/c mice was placed and immunohistochemical staining was performed with CD31/PECAM-1 and LYVE-1 to quantify the level of blood and lymphatic vessels. Corneal transplants were done in BALB/c mice from C57BL/6 mice donors; grafts were subsequently scored for opacity. VEGF-C was blocked in the angiogenesis and transplant model using neutralizing monoclonal anti-VEGF-C (VGX-100) by intraperitoneal injection. To determine the function of VEGF-C in maturation of antigen-presenting cells (APCs), bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were generated and matured in the presence or absence of VEGF-C. VEGF-C expression was demonstrated to be markedly upregulated in corneal graft rejection. VEGF-C blockade, through administration of a VEGF-C blocking monoclonal antibody, suppresses corneal angiogenic responses, inhibits trafficking and maturation of APCs, and significantly improves allotransplant survival.
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These data suggest VEGF-C as a potentially important target in corneal transplant pharmacotherapy and immunobiology. Final Decision: yes