RESUMO
<p><b>AIM</b>To determine the effect of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human umbilical veins endothelial cell line (ECV304) and the inhibitory effect of 2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucoside (ST I) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Exposure to 2.5 mg x L(-1) LPC or LPC + ST I for 24 hours, VEGF protein was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, VEGF mRNA expression in ECV304 was examined by in situ hybridization. VEGF165 mRNA was examined by RT-PCR and Realtime RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>LPC upregulated VEGF protein and VEGF mRNA expression in the ECV304 cells. ST I was shown to markedly inhibit the LPC-induced increase of VEGF protein and VEGF165 mRNA (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>LPC can induce a strong expression of VEGF in ECV304 cells and ST I can inhibit it.</p>