Effect of NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitors on corneal neovascularization after alkali burns. (A) Effect of diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) or apocynin (Apo) on the development of corneal neovascularization (CNV) after alkali burns. Corneal neovascularization was observed under a dissecting microscope and photographed over the time course of our study. Representative images of CNV at 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after alkali burns are shown. D, day. (B) Effect of DPI and Apo on CNV area after alkali burns. At 14 days after alkali burns, mice were sacrificed by a cardiac injection of FITC-dextran. The corneas were excised, and CNV was evaluated by FITC-dextran corneal angiography under fluorescence microscope (original magnification, x4). The graph shows quantification of CNV area in each condition. *P<0.05 vs. vehicle. (C and D) Effect of NOX inhibitors on the mRNA level of angiogenic factors in corneas after alkali burns. RT-qPCR was applied to evaluate the transcription of angiogenic factors, namely vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptor 1/2 (VEGFR1/2), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2, MMP9 and MMP13. Three independent experiments for each condition were carried out, *P<0.05, **P<0.01 vs. vehicle.