NADPH Oxidase 4-Derived H₂O₂ Promotes Aberrant Retinal Neovascularization via Activation of VEGF Receptor 2 Pathway in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy

Figure 5

Scavenging of Nox4-derived H₂O₂ attenuated VEGFR2 activation and reduced endothelial tube formation. HRECs were transduced with Ad-LacZ and Ad-Nox4 for 48 h and then incubated with PEG-Catalase at dose of 1000 U/mL for 16 h. (a-b) Phosphorylation of VEGFR2 (a) and ERK (b) induced by VEGF (50 ng/mL) was determined by Western blot analysis and semiquantified by densitometry. ; versus Ad-LacZ with VEGF and or versus Ad-Nox4 with VEGF. (c) Tube formation capacity of HRECs was evaluated by Matrigel assay. (c-A) Ad-LacZ, (c-B) Ad-Nox4, (c-C) Ad-Nox4 with PEG-Cat, and (c-D) quantification of tube numbers from 3 visual fields. Results represent 3 independent experiments. versus Ad-LacZ; versus Ad-Nox4.

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