Abstract: Objective To measure the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR)in a keratinocyte cell line of HaCaT.Methods RT-PCR was used to measure the mRNA expression level of VEGFR,including VEGFR-1,-2,-3,neuropilin-1(NRP-1)and NRP-2 in HaCaT cells.Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of VEGFR,and immunofluorescence to locate the expression of VEGFR in these cells.Results Both the mRNA and protein expressions of VEGFR-1,-2,-3, NRP-1 and -2 were detected in HaCaT cells.The molecular weights of VEGFR-1,-2,-3 were shown to be 180000,and those of NRP-1 and -2 to be 140 000 by Western blot.Fluorescence signals for VEGFR were observed in both the membrane and cytoplasm of HaCaT cells,and the signals were stronger in the mem-brane than in the cytoplasm.Conclusion VEGFR-1,-2,-3,NRP-1 and -2 are all expressed in HaCaT cells at mRNA and protein levels.

Key words: Keratinocytes, Receptors,vascular endothelial growth factor, HaCaT cell