TY  - EJOU
AU  - LI, JING 
AU  - FAN, WANWAN 
AU  - HAO, LILI 
AU  - LI, YONGSHENG 
AU  - YU, GUOCHENG 
AU  - SUN, WEI 
AU  - LUO, XIANQIONG 
AU  - ZHONG, JINGXIANG 

TI  - Inhibition of VEGF-A expression in hypoxia-exposed fetal retinal microvascular endothelial cells by exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells
T2  - BIOCELL

PY  - 2023
VL  - 47
IS  - 11
SN  - 1667-5746

AB  - <b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to investigate the potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell
(hucMSC)-derived exosomes (hucMSC-Exos) in inhibiting hypoxia-induced cell hyper proliferation and
overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in immature human fetal retinal microvascular
endothelial cells (hfRMECs). <b>Methods: </b>Exosomes were isolated from hucMSCs using cryogenic ultracentrifugation
and characterized through various techniques, including transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking
analysis, bicinchoninic acid assays, and western blotting. The hfRMECs were identified using von Willebrand factor
(vWF) co-staining and divided into four groups: a control group cultured under normoxic condition, a hypoxic
model group, a hypoxic group treated with low-concentration hucMSC-Exos (75 μg/mL) and a hypoxic group treated
with high-concentration hucMSC-Exos (100 μg/mL). Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using Cell
Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and EdU (5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine) assay respectively. Expression levels of VEGF-A
were evaluated using RT-PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence. <b>Results:</b> Hypoxia significantly increased
hfRMECs’ viability and proliferation by upregulating VEGF-A levels. The administration of hucMSC-Exos effectively
reversed this response, with the high-concentration group exhibiting greater efficacy compared to the lowconcentration group. <b>Conclusion:</b> In conclusion, hucMSC-Exos can dose-dependently inhibit hypoxia-induced
hyperproliferation and VEGF-A overexpression in immature fetal retinal microvascular endothelial cells.
KW  - Mesenchymal stem cells
KW  -  Exosomes
KW  -  Immature fetal retinal vascular endothelial cells
KW  -  Vascular endothelial growth factor A
KW  -  Hypoxia

DO  - 10.32604/biocell.2023.044177