Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effect of pigment epithelium-derived factor(PEDF)on cultured rat Müller cell under high concentrations of glucose, and its effect on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) expression. Methods Müller cells were cultured with retinal tissues of SD rats postnatal 3 to 7 days by enzyme digestion. The cells were identified by double-labeled immunofluorescence staining. The cells were randomly divided into normal control group (control group), high glucose model group (HG group) and PEDF-intervention high glucose group (HG+PEDF group). Western boltting method and immunocytochemical staining were used to detect the expression of NF-κB. Results Western boltting method showed the expression of NF-κB in HG group increased significantly compared with control group (P<0.01). NF-κB protein expression in HG+PEDF group decreased obviously compared with HG group(P<0.001). Immunocytochemical staining showed that only a few expressions of NF-κB in control group, while highly strong expression in cytoplasm and nucleus in HG group (P<0.001). Compared with HG group, NF-κB protein expression in HG+PEDF group decreased significantly (P<0.01). Conclusion 25 mmol·L^-1 high glucose increases the expression of NF-κB in vitro, and lead to the injury of Müller cells. Exogenous PEDF can decrease the expression of NF-κB on retinal Müller cells and decrease cells' injury significantly. So PEDF has a significant protective effect on retinal Müller cells.

Key words: Pigment epithelium-derived factor, Mü, ller cells, Rat, High glucose-stimulatioin, Nuclear factor-kappa B