ARPE-19 cell growth and cell functions in euglycemic culture media

Human retinal pigmented epithelial cells (ARPE-19) grown in euglycemic media (5.5 mM) had lower cell number, significantly different cell morphology, and lower levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the culture media than those grown in hyperglycemic media (18 mM) customarily used for culturing ARPE-19 cells. Although it has been shown that within a 24-hour period, all-trans retinoic acid significantly reduces VEGF secretion by retinal pigmented epithelial cells (grown in 18 mM glucose), such an inhibitory effect was not observed in cells grown in 5.5 mM glucose. Our results suggest that ARPE-19 cells grown in euglycemic media exhibit distinctly different cell growth, cell differentiation, and cell functions in comparison to cells grown in hyperglycemic media. Because euglycemic conditions provide a physiological glucose environment, this glucose concentration must be included in all future investigations of the mechanism of diabetic retinopathy when studying VEGF secretion by ARPE-19 cells.