Characterization of internodal collecting lymphatic vessel function after surgical removal of an axillary lymph node in mice.

Secondary lymphedema is an acquired lymphatic disorder, which occurs because of damage to the lymphatic system from surgery and/or radiation therapy for cancer treatment. However, it remains unknown how post-nodal collecting lymphatic vessels (CLVs) draining to the surgical wound area change in response to lymphadenectomy. We investigated functional and architectural changes of inguinal-to-axillary internodal CLVs (ICLVs) in mice after a single axillary LN (ALN) dissection using near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Our data showed no lymph flow in the ICLVs draining from the inguinal LN (ILN) at 2 days post-surgery. External compression enabled visualization of a small segment of contractile fluorescent ICLVs, but not all the way to the axillary region. At day 6, abnormal lymphatic drainage patterns, including lateral and retrograde lymph flow via vessels branching off the ICLVs were observed, which started to disappear beginning 9 days after surgery. The administration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C into the wound increased resolution of altered lymphatic drainage. Lymphatic drainage from the base of the tail to the ILN did not significantly change over time. These results demonstrate that lymph flow in the CLVs is dramatically affected by a LN dissection and long-term interruption of lymph flow might cause CLV dysfunction and thus contribute to chronic lymphatic disorders.