Suppression of choroidal neovascularization by intramuscular polymer-based gene delivery of vasostatin.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of gene delivery of angiogenesis inhibitor, vasostatin (VS), in suppressing experimental model of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). A mammalian expression vector carrying VS, pCMV3-VS, was constructed and evaluated for its ability to produce VS in transfected cells using western blot analysis and a cell viability assay. CNV was induced in Brown Norway rats by fundus argon laser photocoagulation and evaluated by fundus fluorescein angiography (FAG).