CCL5 and Hyperglycemia: Real-time PCR demonstrated that ARPE-19 cells responded to either cytokines or hyperglycemia by upregulating proinflammatory genes such as cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) and chemokines (CCL2, CCL5) as well as VEGF, an established inducer of vascular leakage (Figure 9C–E).