Intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator reached deep retinal layers in all 14 treated rat eyes.
Retinal Penetration of Intravitreally Injected Tissue Plasminogen Activator: A Rat Model Study.
Kfir Tal … Tami Livnat
Ophthalmic research · 2018
Purpose
To determine whether intravitreal unconjugated tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) (alteplase) can penetrate the intact neural retina and reach the subretinal space in an experimental model.
Methods
This study was performed in 24 Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks.
n = 24 Sprague-Dawley rats
14
Results
14
rats
all treated eyes showed the drug reaching deep layers of the retina
n = 24 Sprague-Dawley rats
More results
In the study group, staining for tPA was detected in the deep retinal layers in all eyes.
The staining was deeper and more intense at 3 and 24 h than at 48 h.
There was no tPA staining in the retina of eyes injected with saline.
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Conclusion · 1 of 2
This experimental study shows that unconjugated tPA administered into the vitreous is capable of penetrating the deep retinal layers and the subretinal space.
Conclusion · 2 of 2
These findings suggest that further clinical research is warranted on the benefits of intravitreal tPA in the treatment of submacular hemorrhage.
