원문정보
초록
영어
The aim of this study is to investigate the role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in retinal angiogenesis and blood retinal barrier formation of developing retina. Using the developing retina of postnatal 4, 10, 18, and 26 mice (C57BL/6), we examined the expression of HGF and its receptor, c-Met, through immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining. After treating human renal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) with HGF and/or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), we investigated the expression of tight junction protein (occludin and claudin-1) by Western blot analysis. The HGF and c-Met were expressed in the developing retina especially at later stage of development. It was observed that c-Met expression coincided with the vascularization of the developing retina. In addition, VEGF induced downregulation of occludin and claudin-1 was decreased by HGF in HRMECs. HGF and c-Met are involved in vascularization of developing retina especially at later stage. The role of HGF in stabilizing tight junction proteins in HRMECs implicates that HGF might have a role in stabilizing blood retinal barrier at later stage of development.