Search

To investigate the effect of Taohong Siwu decoction on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), protein kinase B (Akt) gene and protein in brain microvascularendothelial cells (rBMECs) of rats with oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) and its mechanism. The rBMECs were cultured andrandomly divided into normal group, model group, Taohong Siwu decoction (0.4 mg/m L ) group and Taohong Siwu decoction (0.8mg/mL) group. In addition to the normal group, the other three groups used oxygen glucose deprivation experiment to construct OGD injury model. Taohong Siwu decoction group was added with Taohong Siwu decoction at a concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and 0.8 mg/mL 1hbefore modeling, while the normal group and the model group were added with the same volume of normal saline. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of VEGF, VEGFR-2 and Akt genes and proteins. Compared with the normal group, the apoptosis rate of the model group was significantly increased(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the Taohong Siwu decoction (0.4 mg/mL) group and Taohong Siwu decoction (0.8 mg/mL) group decreased, and the Taohong Siwu decoction (0.8 mg/mL) group was the most significant(P<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the relative mRNAand protein expression levels of Akt, VEGFR-2 and VEGF in rBMECs of the model group were significantly increased (P<0.05). Com-pared with the model group, the Taohong Siwu decoction (0.4 mg/mL) group and Taohong Siwu decoction (0.8 mg/mL) group were significantly decreased, and the Taohong Siwu decoction (0.8 mg/mL) group was the most significant. Taohong Siwu decoction may inhibit the apoptosis of endothelial cells and maintain the integrity of endothelial cells by reducing the expression levels of VEGF, VEGFR-2 and Akt genes and proteins in rBMECs under OGD conditions, which may be one of the mechanisms of Taohong Siwu Decoction on brain protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To research the expression of VEGFR-2 in the retinal and choroidal vessels of diabetic rats in early stage. Methods: 24 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups randomly: normal control group and diabetic group. The experimental group was given a one-time intravenous injection of STZ (60 mg/kg) to establish diabetic model. Animals with blood glucose levels higher than 250 mg/dL 24 h after STZ injection were considered diabetic model. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of VEGFR-2 in the retina and choroid. Immunohistochemical staining method was used to localize VEGFR2. Results: 14 days after STZ-injection average body weight of diabetic rats showed significantly lower compared with the normal controls (diabetic rats: 177± 10 g, normal controls: 243± 19 g，P<0.05 ); average blood glucose of diabetic rats showed significantly higher compared with the normal controls (diabetic rats: 498± 36 mg/mL, normal controls: 90± 10 mg/mL，P<0.05 ). Compared with the control group, the expression of VEGFR-2 in the retinal and choroidal vessels of diabetic rats was increased, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusions: The immunohistochemical analysis showed significantly increased VEGFR-2 expression in the retinal and choroidal vessels of the diabetic group, whereas the VEGFR-2 of the retina and choroid in the control group was little (P<0.05). The findings suggest that VEGFR-2 expression is increased in retinal and choroidal vessels in experimentally induced diabetes. VEGFR-2 may be a target for the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]