OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of adrenoreceptor beta-agonists terbutaline on gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in rat astrocyte after induction by norepinephrine (NE) and burn serum.

METHODSThe sera of normal and burn rats were separated for use. Primary astrocytes of brain tissue were isolated from neonatal 1-3 d rats and cultured and divided into following groups: (1) CONTROL GROUP: with 10% normal rat serum in the culture medium. (2) NEl, NE2, NE3 groups: with 10% burn rat serum and 10, 20, 50 micromol/L NE in the culture medium, respectively. (3) TBN1, TBN2, TBN3 groups: with 10% burn rat serum and 10, 20, 50 micromol/L NE and 10, 20, 50 micromol/L terbutaline in the culture medium, respectively. The mRNA and protein expression of VEGF in each group were determined with real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTSThere was a low protein expression of VEGF in control group, but it increased slightly in NE1 group, and then increase gradually in NE2, NE3 groups, and it was obviously increased in TBN1, TBN2, TBN3 groups. The mRNA expression of VEGF in NE1, NE2, NE3 groups were [(13.26 +/- 0.03), (10.37 +/- 0.04), (14.87 +/- 0.55) copies/g], respectively, which were significantly higher than that of control [(5.72 +/- 0.12) copies/g, P < 0.01]. In addition, the expression of VEGF mRNA in TBN1, TBN2, TBN3 groups was higher than that in control group, and expression of VEGF mRNA [(13.39 +/- 0.19), (15.77 +/- 0.11), (16.00 +/- 0.07) copies/g] was gradually increased, which showed obvious difference between TBN2 and NE2, and also between TBN3 and NE3 groups (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONTerbutaline can increase gene expression of VEGF in rat astrocytes after induction by NE and burn serum.