Influence of lactic acid on differential expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and pigment epithelium-derived factor in explants of rat retina.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of lactate on expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in rat retina.


METHODS
Retinal explants from neonatal Sprague Dawley rats were incubated with media containing 10, 20, or 30 mM of lactic acid. The 10 mM group was used as a control. At 24 h after incubation, retinas were sectioned for light microscopy, and expressions of VEGF and PEDF measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis.


RESULTS
The architecture of cultured retinas appeared to be intact. Compared with control, both RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that 30 mM of lactic acid significantly increased the levels of VEGF, but not PEDF.


CONCLUSIONS
Stimulation of production of retinal VEGF by lactate is dependent on the concentration of lactate. Lactate has no effect on the expression of PEDF in rat retinal explants.
Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Dongqing
D
Zhu
Jibo
J
Zhou
Xun
X
Xu
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015843:Serpins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor
D004247:DNA; D005136:Eye Proteins; D019344:Lactic Acid; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D015843:Serpins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099174:Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor