The effect of clonidine on VEGF expression in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19)

Kazuhiko Watanabe, Xue Yun Zhang, Kiyotaka Kitagawa, Tatsuya Yunoki, Atsushi Hayashi*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of clonidine, an alpha2-adrenergic receptor (α2 -ADR) agonist, on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and secretion in the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line (ARPE-19) stimulated with interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Methods: Alpha2-ADRs (α2A, α2B, and α2C) mRNA expression in ARPE-19 cells was examined by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Clonidine and inhibitors against protein kinases that are involved in the regulation of the intracellular signal transduction were added to serum-free medium before stimulation of IL-1β. The α2-ADR antagonist, Yohimbine, was loaded 30 min before the addition of clonidine. The expression of VEGF mRNA and protein was measured by real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Alpha2A-ADR, α2B-ADR, and α2C-ADR mRNA was expressed in RPE cells. Clonidine, an inhibitor of p38MAPK and MEK1/2, inhibited the expression of VEGF protein and mRNA in the RPE cells stimulated with IL-1β. The inhibitory effect of clonidine on the secretion of VEGF protein stimulated with IL-1β was blocked by β2-ADR antagonists. Conclusions: The effect of clonidine on the expression of VEGF may be via suppression of the p38MAPK and MEK1/2 signal transduction pathways activated with IL-1β.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)207-213
Number of pages7
JournalGraefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
Volume247
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

Keywords

  • ARPE-19 cell
  • Clonidine
  • Vascular endothelial growth factor
  • Yohimbine
  • α-adrenergic receptor

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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