AIM: Through intravitreal injection of celecoxib in oxygen-induced retinopathy(OIR)rat model, to investigate the effect and mechanism of celecoxib on neovascularization of OIR.

METHODS: Ninety-six 7-day-old SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: Group Z:Normal group; Group O: OIR; Group A: OIR + vehicle control group; Group B: OIR+5μg celecoxib group; group C: OIR + 20μg celecoxib group; group D: OIR + 80μg celecoxib group. In addition to Z group in the normal environment, the other groups were established the OIR model. The neonatal rats were given intravitreal injections of dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)and the corresponding doses of celecoxib on the 12th day after birth. The rats were sacrificed on day 17 after birth. HE staining were employed to count the vascular endothelial cells which were breakthrough within the internal limiting membrane of retina. Immunohistochemistry staining were utilized to probe the expression of VEGF protein.

RESULTS: HE staining showed that, the number of the endothelial cells in the retina was 0.44±0.18, 30.60±5.36, 28.05±4.68, 19.58±4.58, 10.13±1.93, 7.58±2.68 in Group Z, O, A, B, C and D. In addition to Group O and Group A, there were significant differences between the two groups(P<0.05). After treatment with celecoxib, breakthrough of the internal limiting membrane of the vascular endothelial cell nucleus was significantly reduced, and positively correlated with the dose. Immunohistochemical results showed, the expression of VEGF protein in Group Z was negative, the expression rate was 10%,the positive expression of VEGF protein in Group A was higher than that in Group B, C and D, and the positive rate was 86%, which was higher than that of Group B, C and D, as 68%,42%, 30%.

CONCLUSION: Celecoxib can inhibit the OIR model of rat retinal angiogenesis, and the effect of suppressing a positive correlation with the dose,its action may inhibit VEGF expression.