Expression and regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor in choroidal fibroblasts
Abstract
Subretinal neovascularization is a severe sight-threatening complication into age-related macular degeneration. Previous immunohistochemical studies on surgically removed neovascular membranes have revealed that these membranes, in addition to the neovascular stroma, are comprised of several different cell types such as retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, choroidal fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells. Since vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) potently and specifically induces angiogenesis it was investigated whether VEGF is expressed and/or inducible in choroidal fibroblasts and RPE cells. Choroidal fibroblasts and RPE cells were isolated from human adult post-mortem eyes and expression of VEGF mRNA and protein was measured. By using Northern blotting, both choroidal fibroblasts and RPE cells were found to express VEGF mRNA at low levels. In order to examine whether this VEGF expression was further inducible, the intracellular effector enzyme protein kinase C was activated by phorbol esters. This activation resulted in a prominent increase in VEGF mRNA in choroidal fibroblasts, but not in RPE cells, with a maximal increase detected after 6 h. Elevation of intracellular cyclic AMP levels by forskolin had no clea...Continue Reading
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Current and future treatment options for nonexudative and exudative age-related macular degeneration
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