Upregulation of pigment epithelium-derived factor after laser photocoagulation

PURPOSE: To determine the changes in the expression of pigment epithelium-d erived factor in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells and rat re tinas after laser photocoagulation. METHODS: Experimental study of laser photocoagulation on human retinal pigm ent epithelial cells in culture and on adult rats. Reverse transcription-po lymerase chain reaction and semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction anal ysis were used. RESULTS: After photocoagulation, the mRNA expression of pigment epithelium- derived factor was upregulated in human retinal pigment epithelial cells at 6 hours and then gradually decreased. Compared with controls, significantl y higher levels of pigment epithelium-derived factor were observed in rat r etinas from 6 to 24 hours after laser photocoagulation (P < .005), and they were still higher than before photocoagulation at 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: An upregulation of pigment epithelium-derived factor in retinal pigment epithelial cells and in the retina after photocoagulation suggests that pigment epithelium-derived factor plays a role in inhibiting neovascu larization by its antiangiogenic activity. (Am J Ophthalmol 2001;132:427-42 9. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).