title: Scutellarein inhibits hypoxia- and moderately-high glucose-induced proliferation and VEGF expression in human retinal endothelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to examine the effect of scutellarein on high glucose- and hypoxia-stimulated proliferation of human retinal endothelial cells (HREC).
  
  
  METHODS
  HREC were cultured under normal glucose (NG), moderate, and high glucose (NG supplemented with 10 or 25 mmol/L D-glucose) and/or hypoxic (cobalt chloride treated) conditions. Cell proliferation was evaluated by a cell counting kit. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was assessed by Western blot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proliferation of HREC was significantly elevated in response to moderately-high glucose and hypoxic conditions. The combination of high glucose and hypoxia did not have any additive effects on cell proliferation. Consistent with the proliferation data, the expression of VEGF was also upregulated under both moderately-high glucose and hypoxic conditions. The treatment with scutellarein (1x10(-11) to 1x10(-5) mol/L) significantly inhibited high glucose- or hypoxia-induced cell proliferation and VEGF expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both hypoxia and moderately-high glucose were potent stimuli for cell proliferation and VEGF expression in HREC without any significant additive effects. Scutellarein is capable of inhibiting the proliferation of HREC, which is possibly related to its ability to suppress the VEGF expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Bang-hao
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shi-bo
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jiang-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005947:Glucose / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D047310:Apigenin; D005947:Glucose; C458179:scutellarein