Induction of vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression by proinflammatory cytokines in human pulp and gingival fibroblasts

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) enhances the permeability of blood vessels, which is an important vascular change observed during inflammatory processes. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of proinflammatory cytokines on the expression of VEGF mRNA gene in human pulp and gingival fibroblasts. Interiukin-1α (IL-1α) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were used to evaluate VEGF mRNA gene expression in human pulp and gingival fibroblasts. The levels of mRNAs were measured by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis. Both IL-1α and TNF-α induced significantly high levels of VEGF mRNA gene expression in human pulp and gingival fibroblasts (p < 0.05). In addition, TNF-α was found to be more effective in the induction of VEGF mRNA gene expression in pulp than gingival fibroblasts (p < 0.05). Moreover, IL-1α was found to be more effective in the induction of VEGF mRNA gene expression than TNF-α in gingival fibroblast cultures (p < 0.05). These results indicate that proinflammatory cytokines can induce VEGF mRNA gene expression, and such an effect may partially contribute to the destruction of pulpal and periapical tissues through promoting expansion of the vascular network coincident to progression of the inflammation.