QUANTITATIVE RT-PCR ASSAY DETECTING THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL INDUCTION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH-FACTOR UNDER HYPOXIA

Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to examine the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) transcript in human osteosarcoma cells, MG-63, under hy poxic culture condition. Using this assay system, the expression of VE GF mRNA was estimated eight-fold higher when cells were cultured under hypoxic condition. Transcription level of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) mRNA was also examined as an internal control. HPR T mRNA level under hypoxia was reduced to one fourteenth. Secretion of VEGF into the cell culture medium was implied by its stimulating acti vity on the growth of mouse vascular endothelial cultured cells in vit ro. (C) Academic press, Inc.