Figure 1. Effect of pGC-FU-3FLAG-HTRA1 on HTRA1, fibronectin and VEGF expression in RF/6A cells and HUVECs as determined by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting or ELISA.

Messenger RNA (A) and protein (B) expression of HTRA1 in RF/6A cells and HUVECs transfected with pGC-FU-3FLAG-HTRA1 were increased when compared with the control groups (**P<0.01). The fibronectin mRNA (C) and protein (B) levels were reduced in HTRA1-overexpressing cells (**P<0.01), while no significant differences were noted in the expression levels of VEGF mRNA (D) and secreted protein, except for a slight decrease in protein levels in cultured HUVEC supernatants at 48 hours (*P<0.05).