Adenosine promotes bFGF protein and bFGF mRNA expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro

AIM: To investigate the influence of adenosine on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) bFGF protein production and bFGF mRNA expression. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to detect bFGF protein. RT-PCR was performed to detect bFGF mRNA expression. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry study demonstrated that there was only a small amount of bFGF positive cells and the color was weak in control group (without adenosine). In groups treated with 10-4 mol/L and 10-6 mol/L adenosine, bFGF protein was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). In 10-8 mol/L and 10-10 mol/L adenosine groups, there were no significant differences compared with control group (P>0.05). RT-PCR showed that in 10-4 mol/L and 10-6 mol/L adenosine groups, bFGF mRNA expression was higher than that in control group (P<0.05), while the difference between 10-8 mol/L adenosine group and control group was not significant (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Adenosine may promote HUVEC proliferation and angiogenesis partly through inducing bFGF expression.