RESUMO
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on collagen Ⅱ expression in rat articular chondrocytes in vitro.MethodsChondrocytes were isolated and cultured.Then rats were divided into 4 groups:group A(control):without any intervention; group B:10 ng/ml VEGF was added; group C:10 ng/ml IL-1β was added; group D:10 ng/ml VEGF and 10 ng/ml IL-1β were added.Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of collagen Ⅱ was detected by using real time polymerase chain reaction (real time PCR),and the protein expression level of collagen Ⅱ was detected by Western blotting.Comparisons between groups were performed by one-way ANOVA.ResultsThe collagen Ⅱ mRNA expression levels of group B (0.78+0.07),group C (0.67+0.06) and group D (0.57+0.04) were significantly lower than those of the group A (1.00±0.08),and there was significant difference between B and D,C and D.Compared with group A(0.95+0.21),the expression of collagen Ⅱ protein in group B(0.71+0.14),group C(0.60±0.11) and group D(0.31 +0.09) was significantly suppressed.The expression of collagen Ⅱ protein in group D was significantly lower than those of group B and C.ConclusionVEGF can significantly suppress the expression of collagen II in rat articular chondrocytes.VEGF may play an important role in the development of osteoarthritis.