Effects of triamcinolone on the expression of VEGF and PEDF in human retinal pigment epithelial and human umbilical vein endothelial cells

PURPOSE: To investigate whether triamcinolone acetonide (TA) affects the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelial derived factor (PEDF) in human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE19) and human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells. Study the time course of the effects of TA on VEGF and PEDF expressions in cultured cells. METHODS: ARPE19 and HUVE cells were grown to subconfluence and treated with TA (0.1 mg/ml, 1 mg/ml). The mRNA expressions of VEGF and PEDF were determined from 10 min to three days using real-time RT-PCR. Concurrently, the protein levels of VEGF and PEDF in ARPE cells were detected with ELISA. RESULTS: Real-time RT-PCR showed TA affected a 0.5 fold decrease in VEGF(165) level and about a 2.5 fold increase in PEDF level at both TA concentrations. The effect was maintained at 12 h at 0.1 mg/ml TA and 24 h at 1 mg/ml TA. Similar changes were observed in the respective protein concentrations. The effects of TA on VEGF and PEDF transcript levels were similar in HUVE and ARPE19 cells. VEGF and PEDF protein productions in HUVE cells were too low for statistical analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TA reduces the expression of VEGF but increases the expression of PEDF in ARPE19 and HUVE cells. These observations suggest TA may influence the inhibition of neovascularization and macular edema through differential VEGF and PEDF expressions.