Safety of Bevacizumab on Extraocular Muscle in a Rabbit Model

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the myotoxicity of bevacizumab on extraocular muscles in a rabbit model. METHODS Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were used for this study. The animals were evenly divided into two groups. In the first group, 15 rabbits were treated with intramuscular injections of bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) in the right superior rectus muscle and normal saline solution (0.05 mL) in the left superior rectus muscle. In the second group, 15 rabbits were treated with subconjunctival injections of bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.1 mL) in the right superior subconjunctival area and normal saline solution (0.1 mL) in the left superior subconjunctival area. Five rabbits in each group were sacrificed at one day, two weeks and four weeks after the injections. Extraocular muscle samples were prepared for light microscopic (LM) and electron microscopic (EM) examination. Degrees of acute inflammation were evaluated via CD-11b immunohistochemistry, and global muscle change was investigated using hematoxylin and eosin stains. Intensity of fibrosis was evaluated using Masson trichrome stains, and ultrastructural changes were observed on EM. RESULTS We observed no significant inflammatory cell infiltration, muscle necrosis or fibrotic change in treated and control eyes. EM findings revealed no significant damage to muscle or vascular tissue after bevacizumab injection. CONCLUSIONS We found no signs of extraocular muscle toxicity after LM and EM intramuscular and subconjunctival bevacizumab injections in a rabbit model.