The aim of this study was to determine the effect of alcohol on the expression of VEGF-A, PEDF, and VEGFR-2 in human osteoblasts.

Human osteoblasts primarily derived from the intertrochanteric region of the femur with osteonecrosis and fracture (control) were cultured with alcohol (0, 20, 100, 150 mM). The level of cell proliferation and the expression levels of VEGF-A mRNA, PEDF mRNA, and VEGFR-2 mRNA was evaluated according to the alcohol concentrations and the culture periods.

Osteoblasts with the added alcohol showed an early increase in cell population, and a subsequent decrease or steady level thereafter compared with those without alcohol (p<0.05). The osteoblasts in the osteonecrosis group showed an increase in VEGF-A mRNA and PEDF mRNA expression at high alcohol concentrations (100, 150 mM), resulting in an decreased VEGF-A/PEDF ratio, while those in the control group showed an increase in VEGF-A mRNA expression and a decrease in PEDF mRNA expression, resulting in an increase in the VEGF-A/PEDF ratio (p<0.05).

Alcohol stops the proliferation of osteoblasts and can cause an imbalance between VEGF-A and PEDF, thereby inhibiting the neovascularization of osteonecrosis.