Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To study the production of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF–A) by uveal melanocytes and melanoma cells in vitro using the ELISA method. Methods: Human uveal melanocytes were isolated and cultured from donor eyes as previously reported (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:2210, 1993). Continuous human choroidal melanoma cell lines were established by us as previously reported (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 38:S802, 1997). Early passages of three cell lines of uveal melanocytes and three cell lines of melanoma cells were plated into multi–well plates and cultured for 48 hours. The conditioned medium was collected and the amount of VEGF–A was measured using a sandwich ELISA kit (R & D systems, Minn. MN). Results: VEGF–A was detected in the conditioned media from both the uveal melanocytes and melanoma cell. The concentration of VEGF–A in the conditioned medium of uveal melanoma cells (3656 ± 411.5 pg/ml) was much higher than that in the conditioned medium of uveal melanocytes (106.7 ± 25.2 pg/ml). The difference was statistically very significant (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Increased production of VEGF by melanoma cells can stimulate angiogenesis and may play a role in the development, invasion and metastasis of uveal melanoma. CR: None. Supported by the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology Research Funds, New York, NY.
Keywords: melanoma • melanocytes • growth factors/growth factor receptors