Figure 8. Relative gene expression analysis of MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGFA, CTGF, VEGFR-1, cathepsin D, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and α-SMA in the bevacizumab and anti-CTGF-treated RPE cell cultures. RPE cells treated with combined bevacizumab (0.8 mg/ml) and anticonnective tissue growth factor (anti-CTGF) (10 µg/ml) for 48 h. RNA extraction and real-time RT–PCR were performed for the treated cultures and the controls. mRNA levels were normalized to glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and presented as folds of the control values. The combined bevacizumab and anti-CTGF treatment decreased gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), CTGF, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), cathepsin D, and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) compared to the control. Each column shows comparison of specified treated culture with control culture (% of control) and each bar represents the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of at least three independent experiments performed in duplicate (*p<0.05).