Interactions between vitreous-derived cells and vascular endothelial cells in vitreoretinal diseases

This study aimed to investigate the roles played by vitreous-derived cells in the pathogenesis of vitreoretinal vascular diseases.

The vitreous was removed from porcine eyes and small pieces were cultured from which vitreous-derived cells were isolated. Polymerase chain reaction and ELISA were performed to determine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively. The viability of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) exposed to vitreous-derived cells was assessed by MTT assay.

Expression of the mRNA and protein of VEGF and IL-6 was increased by exposing the porcine vitreous-derived cells (PVDCs) to interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), but not to VEGF or IL-6. The percentage of living human vascular endothelial cells was increased by including VEGF and IL-6 in the culture media. The viability of HRECs was affected by co-culturing them with PVDCs that had been exposed to IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha and VEGF.

Porcine vitreous-derived cells are stimulated by IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and TNFalpha, and produce VEGF and IL-6, which then enhance the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. This network, including the cytokines and different types of cells, may contribute to the pathogenesis of proliferative vitreoretinal diseases.