[A comparison of the mRNA expression of VEGF and its receptor FLK-1 in rabbit iris pigment epithelium cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate mRNA expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor FLK-l in iris pigment epithelium (IPE) cells and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, and the feasibility of transplantation of autologous IPE cells to substitute RPE in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AKMD) and diseases of RPE dysfunction.


METHODS
IPE and RPE cells were isolated from pigmented rabbits. The expression of mRNA for VEGF and FLK-l were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Rabbit IPE and RPE cells express VEGF mRNA and FLK-l; the express of VEGF and FLK-1 mRNA in IPE cells was relatively low compared with the expression in RPE cells. The amount of VEGF mRNA in IPE cells was 44.62% of RPE cells, and amount of FLK-l mRNA was 52.36% of RPE cells- The results of the differences of expression of VEGF and FLK-l mRNA between IPE and RPE cells was statistically significant (t-test, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF and FLK-l mRNA in IPE cells express is relatively low compared with the expression in RPE cells, and the results suggest that IPE cells could be more beneficial than RPE cells in the transplantation into the subretinal space.
Zhu
Ying
Y
Ocular Fundus Disease Center, First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. mirenda@21cn.com
Liu
Zhe-li
ZL
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007498:Iris / Q000378:metabolism*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D011817:Rabbits; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2