EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR IN U937 FOAM CELLS AND THE INHIBITORY EFFECT OF DRUGS

AIMTo study the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in U937 foam cells and the inhibitory effect of salvianolic acid B and Ginkgo biloba extract in vitro. METHODSU937 cells were incubated with 80 mg·L^-1 oxidized low density lipoprotein (OX-LDL) for 48 h and a macrophage-derived foam cell model was established. The VEGF concentration in the media was determined by ELISA; the VEGF protein expression in cells was measured with immurohistochemistry; the VEGF mRNA level in cells was measured by in situ hybridization;the positive ratio detected by a morphometrical analysis system was used as the amount of the VEGF protein expression and the mRNA level. RESULTSAfter U937 cells were incubated with OX-LDL, VEGF expression level increased greatly both in the cells and in the media. Salvianolic acid B and Ginkgo biloba extract were shown to remarkably inhibit the increase of VEGF. After treated with 10 μg·L^-1 salvianolic acid B and Ginkgo biloba extract, the VEGF protein concentration in the media and positive ratio in the cells decreased compared with foam cells. After treated with 10 μg·L^-1 salvianolic acid B and 100 μg·L^-1 Ginkgo biloba extract, the VEGF mRNA level decreased measured by in situ hybridization. CONCLUSIONA high VEGF expression level was determined in U937 foam cells. Salvianolic acid B and Ginkgo biloba extract were found to inhibit VEGF expression significantly in U937 foam cells in vitro.