TY - JOUR T1 - Gene Expression Profile of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (VEGFs) and Platelet-derived Growth Factors (PDGFs) in the Normal Cornea JF - In Vivo JO - In Vivo SP - 805 LP - 813 DO - 10.21873/invivo.12321 VL - 35 IS - 2 AU - ANDREI RADU DAN COSNITA AU - MARIUS RAICA AU - MIHAI POENARU SAVA AU - ANCA MARIA CIMPEAN Y1 - 2021/03/01 UR - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/2/805.abstract N2 - Background/Aim: Angiogenic growth factors expression is not known in the normal cornea. The aim was to study corneal gene expression profile of VEGF and PDGF pathways influencing the avascular state of cornea. Materials and Methods: cDNA synthesis was performed from mRNA extracted from five fresh pig corneas followed by cDNA synthesis and analysis of VEGF and PDGF pathways by TaqMan Array gene expression profile. Results: Normal pig cornea lacks VEGFR2 and VEGFR3 gene expression. MK2 and AKT1 genes were significantly overexpressed (p=0.000684, p=0.050995, respectively). Six PDGF pathway genes were overexpressed: TIAM1 (p=0.047), PIK3CA (p=0.00005), IKBKG (p=0.000006), PAK4 (p=0.034), RAC1 (p=0.000006 and PTGS2, p=0.00375). PDGF A was up-regulated, but not with a statistical significance (p=0.79911), while PDGFRα was down-regulated and PDGFRβ was not expressed. Conclusion: Normal cornea avascularity is given by growth factor receptors down-regulation. Rapid corneal neovascularisation is induced by activation of the main angiogenic growth factors that induce angiogenic cascade and vessel recruitment. ER -