OBJECTIVE:　To　investigate　the　effects　of　autophagy　on　vascular　endothelial　growth　factor　(VEGF)　expression　in　human　retinal　pigment　epithelial　cells　(RPE19)　under　the　condition　of　hypoxia　in　vitro.　STUDY　DESIGN:　RPE19　cells　were　divided　into　3　groups:　control　group,　hypoxia　group　(the　final　concentration　of　CoCl2　in　the　medium　was　125　μmol/L),　and　autophagy　inhibitor　group　(cells　were　pretreated　with　3methyladenine　for　12　hours　and　then　cultured　with　125　μmol/L　CoCl2).　After　24　hours,　enzymelinked　immunosorbent　assay　(ELISA)　and　western　blotting　were　used　to　detect　the　expression　levels　of　VEGF.　The　expression　of　autophagy　correlation　protein　Beclin　1,　LC3　(LC3II/LC3I　ratio),　and　p62　were　examined　by　western　blotting.　Then,　we　increased　autophagy　level　using　rapamycin　to　detect　its　effect　on　VEGF　in　the　condition　of　normal　oxygen　culture　(cells　were　pretreated　by　500　nM　rapamycin　for　12　hours);　the　expression　level　of　VEGF　was　detected　by　the　above　method.　RESULTS:　Compared　with　the　control　group,　expression　of　VEGF,　Beclin1,　and　LC3II/I　protein　were　increased　while　p62　was　decreased　under　hypoxia.　VEGF　protein　expression　and　secretion　were　decreased　in　the　autophagy　inhibitor　group.　Furthermore,　we　found　that　rapamycin　also　promoted　the　expression　and　secretion　of　VEGF　protein.　CONCLUSION:　Autophagy　promoted　the　expression　of　VEGF　in　RPE19　cells.　Targeting　autophagy　is　expected　to　upregulate　VEGF　levels　in　RPE　cells.　©　Science　Printers　and　Publishers,　Inc.