Fig. 6: Sunitinib MP reduce leukostasis and improve retinal perfusion in rho/VEGF mice.

Rho/VEGF mice were given an intravitreous injection of 10 µg of Suni MP or 40 µg of aflibercept in one eye and 10 µg of Empty MP or PBS in the other eye. After 1 week, mice were perfused through the left ventricle with PBS to remove erythrocytes and leukocytes and then perfused with FITC-concanavalin A. Examination of retinal flat mounts by fluorescence microscopy showed a significant reduction in mean number of adherent intravascular leukocytes per retina in Suni MP-injected eyes compared with Empty MP-injected fellow eyes and in aflibercept-injected eyes compared with PBS-injected fellow eyes (a scale bar = 100 µm; *p < 0.001 by Mann Whitney for difference from corresponding control). The experiment was repeated but leukostasis was visualized by immunohistochemical staining with anti-CD45 which showed a significant reduction in leukocytes within retinal vessels in eyes injected with Suni MPs vs. those injected with empty MPs (b scale bar = 100 µm; *p < 0.001 by Mann Whitney for difference from corresponding fellow eye control). Rho/VEGF mice had fluorescein angiography at baseline and then were given an intravitreous injection of 10 µg of Suni MP in one eye and 10 µg of Empty MP in the other eye. Some areas of retinal nonperfusion at baseline showed improved perfusion 1 week after injection of Suni MP, but this was not seen in Empty MP-injected eyes (c scale bar = 250 µm). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.