<p>(A) ARPE-19 cells were transiently transfected with the pT81 HRE-luciferase vector and were subjected to hypoxia (2% O<sub>2</sub>) for 6 hours in the absence or presence of MGO (1 mM for 4 hours). Subsequently, the luciferase activity was determined and the values were expressed as fold induction over control. (B) ARPE-19 cells were subjected to hypoxia (2% O<sub>2</sub>) for 6 hours either in the absence or the presence of MGO (1 mM for 4 hours). Total RNA was used to synthesize cDNA, which, in turn, was used as template to quantify VEGF mRNA and 18S rRNA through RT-PCR. (C) ARPE-19 cells were subjected to hypoxia (2% O<sub>2</sub>) for 6 hours either in the absence or in the presence of MGO (1 mM for 4 hours). The concentration of the diffusible VEGF<sub>121</sub> and VEGF<sub>165</sub> isoforms were determined by ELISA using a monoclonal antibody for human VEGF. The results represent the mean ± SD of at least three independent experiments. ** p<0.01 and *** p<0.001, significantly different from control; ## p<0.01 and ### p<0.001, significantly different from hypoxia condition (one-way ANOVA).</p
