title: Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor expression in U937 foam cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced by oxidized low density liporotein (ox-LDL) and the inhibitory effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (asODN) on the levels of VEGF protein and mRNA in the U937 foam cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  U937 cells were incubated with ox-LDL 80 mg/L for 48 h, then, the foam cells were treated with asODN (0, 5, 10, and 20 micromol/L). The VEGF concentration in the media was determined by ELISA. The VEGF protein expression level in cells was measured by immuohistochemistry; the positive ratio detected by a morphometrical analysis system was used as the amount of the VEGF expression level. The VEGF mRNA level was examined by Northern blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After U937 cells were incubated with ox-LDL, VEGF expression level increased greatly both in the cells and in the media. asODN markedly inhibited the increase of VEGF. After treatment with asODN 20 micromol/L, the VEGF protein concentration in the media decreased by 45.0%, the VEGF positive ratio detected by immuohistochemistry in cells decreased by 64.9%, and the VEGF mRNA level decreased by 47.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of VEGF in U937 foam cells was strong. asODN inhibited VEGF expression significantly in U937 foam cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Peng-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yao-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Rui
authors.forename: You-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Tie-Jun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie-Song
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D005487:Foam Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D020298:U937 Cells; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C099252:oxidized low density lipoprotein