Protective Effect of TLR4 Ablation against Corneal Neovascularization following Chemical Burn in a Mouse Model.

Purpose: To determine whether Toll-like receptor 4 knockout protects mice from corneal neovascularization following chemical injury compared to wild-type (WT) mice.

Methods: A chemical burn (75% silver nitrate, 25% potassium nitrate) was created under anesthesia in the central right cornea of 32 WT and 31 Toll-like receptor 4 knockout mice. Corneal neovascularization was evaluated at 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 35 days after injury using digital photography, fluorescein angiography, gelatin perfusion with fluorescence vascular imaging, immunofluorescence staining, and molecular analysis.