Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor B on proliferation and migration in EA.Hy926 cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) was reported to be angiogenic, and it was considered as a neuroprotective agent in mouse retinal ganglion cells following optic nerve crush. Thus, it was necessary to investigate whether VEGF-B contributes to the process of retinal and choroidal neovascularization. We aimed to investigate the effects of VEGF-B on proliferation and migration in EA.Hy926 cells. The proliferation of cells was analyzed by cell counting kit 8 assay, and the migration of cells was evaluated by a modified Boyden chamber assay. The levels of phospho-ERK1/2 (P-ERK1/2), ERK1/2, phospho-p38 and p38 were detected by western blotting. The results showed that VEGF-B induced proliferation and migration of EA.Hy926 cells (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), and ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation were significantly activated. Our study suggested that VEGF-B was an angiogenesis factor in vitro and that ERK1/2 and p38-related signaling pathways were involved in these VEGF-B activities.