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This abstract is assigned to session BGS: Belgian Glaucoma Society

Title

FRO: Role of placental growth factor (PIGF) in wound healing after glaucoma filtration surgery

Purpose	The aim of our study was to check the hypothesis that placental growth factor (PlGF) plays a role in scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS), and that it may be a target for improvement of the outcome of this surgery.
Methods	Since the rabbit is the most popular animal used for investigating postoperative scar formation, the cross-reactivity to rabbit-PlGF with human and murine PlGF-antibodies (16D3 and 5D11D4; ThromboGenics NV) was tested using ELISA. Murine conjunctival fibroblasts were isolated and cultured. The purity of the cultured cells was verified by an immunostaining for vimentin. Also, a mouse model of GFS was set-up, according to the technique Seet L, et al. (Mol Med 2011).
Results	ELISA-experiments demonstrated that none of the PlGF-antibodies showed cross-reactivity to rabbit PlGF. So, these antibodies could not be used in the standard rabbit model of glaucoma filtration surgery. Therefore, a mouse model of GFS was set-up and different immunostainings showed an increase of angiogenesis and inflammation during the initial phase of healing and fibrosis at the later stages. Cultured murine conjunctival fibroblasts were all positive for vimentin, which confirmed the purity of the fibroblast culture.
Conclusion	Future experiments will elucidate the in vitro and in vivo role of the murine PlGF-antibody (5D11D4; ThromboGenics NV) on cultured fibroblasts and in the mouse model of GFS. This research project will clarify the potential role of PlGF-inhibition in the improvement of filtration surgery outcome, and will highlight any angiostatic, anti-inflammatory, and/or anti-fibrotic effects.

Author 1

Last name	VAN BERGEN
Initials	T
Department	KUL (Oogziekten)
City	Leuven

Author 2

Last name	Moons
Initials	L
Department	KUL (Biologie)
City	Leuven

Author 3

Last name	Stassen
Initials	JM
Department	ThromboGenics NV
City	Leuven

Author 4

Last name	Stalmans
Initials	I
Department	KUL (Oogziekten)
City	Leuven