Expression of vascular endothelial growth fac-tor gene in primary cultured rat hepatocytes

BACKGROUND: It is the key point for vascular endothelialgrowth factor (VEGF121) gene related therapy as to how totransfect and express the gene safely, effectively and repeat-edly. This study was designed to investigate the VEGF121transfection and expression in primary cultured rat hepato-cyte.METHODS: After construction of vector internal ribosomeentry site-enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (pIRES-EY-FP)/VEGF121, the transfection and expression of the exoge-nous VEGF121 gene in primary cultured rat hepatocyteswere observed through RT-PCR, Western blot and fluores-cent microscopy.RESULTS: pIRES-EYFP/VEGF121 plasmid was construct-ed and transfected successfully into primary cultured rathepatocytes, the transfection and expression of gene in pri-mary cultured rat hepatocytes were examined by RT-PCRand Western blot, and yellow-green fluorescence was ob-served through a fluorescent microscope.CONCLUSION: The successful transfection and expressionof plasmid pIRES-EYFP/VEGF121 in primary cultured rathepatocytes provides a foundation for hepatocyte transplan-tation and gene therapy after modification of hepatocytesby the gene.