The role of catecholamines in the development of pathological retina neovascularization in an experimental model of retinopathy of prematurity in rats

This work is dedicated to prove our hypothesis that catecholamines and their metabolites play crucial role in development of retinopathy of prematurity, severe disabling fibrovasoproliferative vitreoretinal pathology of premature infants. Research was done on experimental model of retinopathy achieved by hyperohygenation in rats on 7th, 14th, 21st and 30th day of life. Amount of catecholamines and their metabolites in retina of rats was measured by HPLC with electrochemical detection. It was shown that L-DOPA on 21st and 30th day of life were lowered in model animals than in control and noradrenaline on 14 th day increased in model animals than in control. However we did not observed dopamine changes between experimental model and control. Given the literature data on cathecholamines and their role in regulation of vasculogenesis in retina, our data shows that changes in cathecholamine metabolism play crucial role in pathology of this severe illness.