Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor in human glioma cells.
AIM
To study the effects of antisense vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) on the expression of VEGF in human glioma cell line (A172 cells).


METHODS
VEGF mRNA level was measured by semiquantification reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). VEGF protein expression in the cells was determined by immunohistochemistry. VEGF protein level in the media was measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
When the cells were treated with antisense VEGF ODN (6.25-50 mumol.L-1), VEGF mRNA level in the cells decreased remarkably in a concentration-dependent manner. No change was found when the cells were treated with sense or missense ODN. When the cells were treated with antisense VEGF ODN 25 mumol.L-1, VEGF protein level decreased greatly both in the cells and the media.


CONCLUSIONS
Antisense VEGF ODN inhibited VEGF expression specifically in A172 cells in vitro and thus the results provided the basis for the further studies in vivo.