Dimethyl Fumarate (DMFu) as an anti-angiogenic agent in VEGF-treated human microvascular retinal endothelial cells (HRECs).

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key driver of retinal and choroidal angiogenesis in wet age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The present study investigated the impact of dimethyl fumarate (DMFu), a novel nAMD therapeutic candidate, on the transcriptomic profile of VEGF-treated primary human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). In performing this study, we have described the individual transcriptomic implications of VEGF and DMFu in HRECs and characterised the impact of DMFu treatment on gene expression in VEGF-activated HRECs. Overall design: n = 6 replicates of primary human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) were treated with either no treatment (control), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), dimethyl fumarate or as a combination of VEGF + DMFu (total concentration of 10 ng/ml for each group) for 24 hours. RNA extraction was performed at the same time point for all groups, followed by sequencing. Gene expression profiling was then performed on each group with reference to the untreated control. Comparative gene expression profile analysis between VEGF, DMFu and VEGF + DMFu differentially expressed genes was then performed.