Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of integrinα9β1 on corneal angiogenesis and the expression of vascular
endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in rats after corneal suture.MethodsThirty-nine SD rats were randomly divided into
normal control group, corneal suture model group,α9β1group, andα9β1suppression group, and in the latter3groups, the
rats received topical administration of levofloxacin, levofloxacin + α9β1, and levofloxacin + anti-α9β1monoclonal antibody
(Y9A2) twice daily after corneal suture, respectively. At 3, 5, 7, 14days after the surgery,3rats were randomly selected from
each group to observe corneal neovascularization (CNV) under slit lamp. RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the
expressions of VEGF-A.ResultsCNV was not observed in normal cornea. Neovascularization occurred in the corneal limbus
in the 3corneal suture groups, and the leak neovascularization count (CNVC), which occurred on the7th postoperative day,
was significantly increased afterα9β1treatment compared with that in the model group (4.57±0.31vs3.21±0.19, P<0.05) but
markedly decreased afterα9β1suppression (2.03±0.26, P<0.05). VEGF-A was expressed at a low level in normal cornea, and
increased significantly in the model group, reaching the peak level on7th day (P<0.05); corneal VEGF-A expression was further
enhanced byα9β1treatment (P<0.05) while significantly lowered byα9β1suppression (P<0.05).ConclusionIntegrinα9β1can
promote CNV by up-regulating VEGF-A expression andα9β1suppression produces the opposite effect after corneal suture in
rats.