ABSTRACT
·AIM:To investigate the effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on proliferation and migration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. ·METHODS:Human RPE cell lines(ARPE-19 cell) were treated with different doses of EGF. The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay was used to detect cell viability. The 5 - bromodeoxyuridine ( BrdU ) incorporation assay was used to detect cell proliferation and the"scratch-wound assay"was used to detect cell migration ability. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and protein kinase B (AKT) proteins were detected by Western blot. · RESULTS: The MTT assay results showed that treatment with 50 and 100ng/mL EGF for 12h increased ARPE-19 cell viability. The BrdU incorporation assay and the"scratch-wound assay"showed that treatment with 100ng/mL EGF for 24h increased ARPE - 19 cell proliferation and migration. The Western blot results showed that treatment with 10-100ng/mL EGF for 12h or 100ng/mL EGF for 15-180min increased phosphorylation levels of EGFR and decreased total levels of EGFR. Similarly, treatment with 10-100ng/mL EGF for 12h or 100ng/mL EGF for 15-180min increased phosphorylation levels of AKT,but not affected total levels of AKT. ·CONCLUSION: EGF affects ARPE- 19 cell viability, proliferation and migration through inducing phosphorylation of the EGFR/AKT signaling pathway. The EGFR/AKT signaling pathway might play an important role in abnormal proliferation and migration of RPE cells in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.