Objective To investigate the protective effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on apoptosis of cultured human fetal retinal pigment epithelium (HFRPE) cells induced by indomethacin (IN) in vitro.Methods Subcultured HFRPE cells were treated with different concentrations of IN to establish apoptotic model. The protective effect of NGF on apoptosis of cultured HFRPE cells were assessed using an acridine orange (AO) staining method and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Results HFRPE cells exposed by 200-600 μmol/L IN for 24 hours elicited typical apoptosis morphological changes, including condensed chromation, nuclear fragmentation and reduction of nuclear size and cell volume. There was a statistically difference in HFRPE cells with apoptosis between 200 μmol/L IN+500 μg/L NGF and 200 μmol/LIN groups ( q=3.9204，P=0.0320); there was a significant difference in HFRPE cells with apoptosis in 400 μmol/L IN+500 μg/L NGF and 400 μmol/ L IN as well (q=9.7915，P=0.0001). Conclusion NGF has an protective effect on IN-induced HFRPE cells apoptosis. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2003，19：38-41)
Objective To investigate the influence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antagonist bevacizumab on the growth of human choroidal melanoma (CM) OCM-1 cell xenografts in nude mice, and to explore the probable mechanism.Methods OCM-1 cells were subcutaneously implanted on 18 nude mice to establish ectopic model of human CM. The nude mice with the tumor of 5 mm in diameter were randomly divided into three groups: untreated group (group A), normal saline （NS） group (group B), drug treated group (group C). Bevacizumab was intraperitoneally injected for 14 consecutive days in group C, and the same volume of NS was used at a same way in group B. The volume and weight of implanted tumor as well as inhibitory rates of drug on tumor were calculated, ki67 and survivin proteins were measured with immunohistochemistry, and the mRNA expression of VEGF and survivin were assessed by RT-PCR.Results The volume and weight of tumor was (598.86plusmn;321.81) mm3, (0.66plusmn;0.15) g; (1 715.15plusmn;278.16) mm3, (1.54plusmn;0.39) g and (1 750.23plusmn;206.36) mm3, (1.54plusmn;0.31) g in groups C, A and B, respectively. There were significant differences between group C and A (F=34.53, P=0.00) and group C and group B (F=8.69, P=0.01). The inhibitory rate of these three groups were 57.14%, 5.31%, 6.25%, respectively, and the proliferation index (PI) of ki67 in these three groups were (51.85plusmn;1.32)%, (46.30plusmn;1.39)%, (27.90plusmn;0.90)%, respectively, there were significant differences in ki67 PI between C group and A or B group (H=15.17, P=0.00). The expression of survivin mRNA was (0.49plusmn;0.02), (0.82plusmn;0.05) and (0.61plusmn;0.05) in groupss C, A and B, respectively, there were significant differences between C group and A or B group (F=15.17, P＜0.05) . The expression of VEGF mRNA was (0.32plusmn;0.08), (0.73plusmn;0.07), (0.80plusmn;0.04) in groups C, A and B, significant difference was found between group C and A or B group (F=12.05，P＜0.05). Conclusion Bevacizumab can inhibit the growth of human CM in nude mice probably by inhibiting the activity of VEGF and downregulating survivin expression of the tumor as well as inhibiting the growth of the tumor.