Pirfenidone ameliorates the formation of choroidal neovascularization in mice

The formation and development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis. Existing treatments are expensive and can cause irreversible complications. Pirfenidone (PFD) exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects; however, its applications in the eye remain unclear. Male C57BL/6J mice (aged 6–8 weeks) were used to explore whether PFD can inhibit the formation of laser-induced CNV. The localization of transforming growth factor β(2) (TGFβ(2)) was determined through immunofluorescent staining. After laser photocoagulation, the vehicle and PFD groups were intravitreally injected with 1 µl PBS and 1 µl 0.5% PFD, respectively. At day 7 after intravitreal injection, the expression of TGFβ(2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was assessed. Fundus fluorescein angiography was performed to investigate the extent of fluorescence leakage, and the CNV areas were analyzed using a choroidal flat mount. The results demonstrated that, on day 7 after photocoagulation, the expression of TGFβ(2) and VEGF was reduced in the experimental group. In addition, fluorescein angiography showed that the leakage area of CNV was significantly smaller in the PFD injection group than those observed in the control and vehicle groups. Moreover, the areas of CNV in the PFD injection group were smaller compared with those reported in the other two injection groups. Histopathological and TUNEL analyses performed on day 28 revealed that there were no notable abnormalities on the layers of the neural retina of PFD-treated mice. In conclusion, intravitreal injection of PFD inhibited the formation of CNV in mice, likely via the downregulation of VEGF and TGFβ(2), which did not cause damage to the mouse retina after 28 days of treatment.