The effect of sevoflurane on retinal angiogenesis in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy

• Published in: Journal of anesthesia Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 204 - 210
• Main Authors: Kim, Hee Young, Baek, Seung-Hoon, Baik, Seong Wan, Bae, Sun Sik, Ha, Jung Min, Kim, Minkyoung, Byeon, Gyeong-Jo, Kim, Hye Jin, Ri, Hyun-Su, Kim, So Hyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.04.2018; Springer
• Subjects: Anesthesiology; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Complications and side effects; Critical Care Medicine; Disease Models, Animal; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Emergency Medicine; Hypoxia - pathology; Intensive; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neovascularization; Original Article; Oxygen - metabolism; Pain Medicine; Physiological aspects; Retinal Neovascularization - prevention & control; Retinopathy of prematurity; Retinopathy of Prematurity - prevention & control; Sevoflurane; Sevoflurane - pharmacology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; South Korea; Sevoflurane; Angiogenesis; Oxygen; Retinopathy of prematurity; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 0913-8668; 1438-8359
• DOI: 10.1007/s00540-018-2465-0

Background Sevoflurane is commonly used in general anesthesia for premature neonates. The main mechanism of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). For the investigation of sevoflurane’s effect on angiogenesis, the angiogenesis and VEGF expression in the retina were measured after administering sevoflurane in an oxygen-induced retinopathy mice model. Materials and methods The mice were divided into the normoxic group (Nc and Ns group; n  = 6) and the ROP group (C, Rc, and Rs group; n  = 6). Rc group were exposed to 75% oxygen for 5 days beginning on postnatal day (P) 7, and then returned to room air. Age-matched mice in the C group were exposed to room air. To observe angiogenesis of the retina, the mice were sacrificed on P16. The Rs group was exposed to 2 vol% sevoflurane for 2 h on P12, P13, and P14 with 40% oxygen. Results The angiogenic area and the spreading distance of vessels on P4 were statistically decreased in the Ns group, compared to the Nc group. The avascular area on P16 was significantly increased and the expression of VEGF was suppressed in the Rs group compared to the Rc group. Conclusions Sevoflurane can inhibit retinal angiogenesis via suppressing VEGF expression in an OIR mice model with exposure to relative hypoxia. Nevertheless, it is still difficult to apply the results of this study immediately to humans because of the heterogeneity of responses to sevoflurane.