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. 2019 Apr 11;20(7):1799. doi: 10.3390/ijms20071799

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Blue light induces inflammatory and angiogenic gene expression in early stages and increases vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in A2E-laden retinal pigment epithelial RPE cells. (A) RPE cells were pretreated with 30 μM A2E for 12 h and then exposed to blue light-emitting diode (LED) light (BLL) for 0 and 2 h (460 nm, 150 lux). Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), complement factor H (CFH), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-12, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL-2), erythropoietin (EPO), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT-1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), opticin (OPTC), VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH) mRNA levels were detected by RT-PCR. (B) Quantification of mRNA levels relative to the GAPDH control was performed via densitometry and expressed as means ± SE. Results from 3 independent experiments are shown (N = 3). * p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant compared to controls. (C) The level of VEGF secretion in A2E-laden RPE cells was quantified via enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). RPE cells were loaded with 0, 10, and 30 μM A2E for 12 h (white bars) or co-treated with A2E and blue light-emitting diode (LED) light (BLL) for 12 h (460 nm, 150 lux) (black bars). VEGF secretion increased in A2E-laden RPE cells after BLL exposure. Results from 4 independent experiments are shown (N = 4). * p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant compared to controls.