title: Barbiturates decrease the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in hypoxic cultures of porcine brain derived microvascular endothelial cells.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to be produced in higher amounts during hypoxia by a variety of cell types and has been shown to increase the permeability of brain derived microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) during hypoxia by an autocrine mechanism. Because the barbiturates, methohexital (MH) and thiopental (TP), induced a dose-dependent reduction in hypoxia-induced permeability changes of BMEC, the effect of both barbiturates on the VEGF expression during hypoxia was investigated. Both barbiturates decreased the hypoxia-induced expression of VEGF in BMEC in a concentration-dependent manner. This effect is partly caused by the impairment of the hypoxia-induced VEGF mRNA stabilization. VEGF-induced permeability changes during normoxia were unaffected by the barbiturates suggesting that MH and TP are directly reducing hypoxia-induced VEGF synthesis. In conclusion, the inhibiting effect of these barbiturates on the hypoxia-induced VEGF expression results in the decreased permeability of the BMEC monolayer during hypoxia, which may contribute to the described neuroprotective action of barbiturates by reduction of brain edema formation.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institute for Physiological and Clinical Research, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Benekestrasse 2-8, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Renz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schaper
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Karliczek
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000276:immunology; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008723:Methohexital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013874:Thiopental / Q000494:pharmacology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D000906:Antibodies; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008222:Lymphokines; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D003609:Dactinomycin; D008723:Methohexital; D013874:Thiopental; D000241:Adenosine; D010100:Oxygen