Journal d'ophtalmologie clinique et expérimentale
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Intravitreal Administration of Lysine-Acetylsalicylate Could be an Effective Approach to Preserve Retinal Vessels and to Inhibit Leukostasis in Experimental Diabetic Retinopathy

Cristian Fernández-Martínez, José J. Martínez-Toldos, José M. Ruiz-Moreno, Elena Caminos and Ana Murcia-Lopez

Leukostasis and the loss of retinal capillaries associated with inflammation play a central role in the development of diabetic retinopathy. The oral administration of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) at high doses has been associated with therapeutic benefits in experimental diabetic retinopathy. Although, its utility in humans remains controversial. We explore the ability of intravitreal injection of lysine acetylsalicylate to preserve retinal vessels and to inhibit the presence of leukocytes in the retinal ganglion cell (GCL) layer and the outer plexiform layer (OPL) using an experimental model of diabetic retinopathy induced with streptozotocin.
The diabetic animals were assigned to two groups, one of them received 2 doses of intravitreal lysine acetylsalicylate (lysine-group) while the other group received 2 intravitreal injections of saline (control-group). The two injections in each group were administered with an interval of 4 weeks.
The immunohistochemical labeling revealed a greater number of intact vessels in the lysine-group in the GCL and in the OPL (P<0.001), both in the central and peripheral retina. There was also a lower leukocyte count in the lysinegroup compared to the control-group in the GCL of the central retina (P<0.001). The correlation study between both variables was significant in the GCL of the central and peripheral retina as well as in the OPL of the central retina.
These results suggest a protective effect of the drug on the capillary network of the retina and a reduction of leukostasis. Intravitreal administration could maximize the action of salicylate and minimize its systemic adverse effects.