Inhibiting Corneal Neovascularization by Targeting Tissue Factor

Project Summary Cornea is a transparent tissue without any vasculature. Diseases and injuries that compromise the optical clarity of the cornea are the third most common cause of blindness worldwide. A common sequela of these corneal diseases and injuries is the growth of pathological vessels, a process known as corneal neovascularization (CNV). To date, there is no specific therapy for CNV, underscoring the need to identify effective treatments for this disease. Tissue factor (TF) is a well-known factor for blood coagulation after blood vessel injury. Under physiological condition, TF is strictly expressed in cells underneath the endothelial cells, such as pericytes. Preliminary study revealed that TF level was low in uninjured mouse corneas and was upregulated after alkali injury. In the proposed work, TF as a potential biomarker for CNV and an immuno-conjugate that targets TF as a potential therapy to treat CNV will be investigated.