Objective To investigate the effects of QUE on proliferation and DNA synthesis of cultured retinal pigment epithelium(RPE) cells with or without EGF. Methods With or without EGF, cultured RPE cells were treated with QUE by various concentrations(200,100,50,1mu;mol/L) and with QUE 200mu;mol/L at different times(24-168 hr), cells proliferation and DNA synthesis were evaluated by cell count method and the uptake of thymidine. The viability of cells was determined by trypanblue exclusion. Results The best concentration of QUE which inhibits proliferation and DNA synthesis of PRE cells was 200mu;mol/L. The significant inhibition effect of QUE occurred at 48hr, and the best inhibition of QUE occurred at 96hr. QUE had more powerful effect of antiproliferation on RPE cells, and the viability of RPE cells was over85%. Conclusion The results suggested that QUE could inhibit the proliferation of RPE cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, especially inhibit the proliferation induced by EGF stimulating. QUE had no cyto-toxic effect on RPE cells cultured in vitro. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1999,15:27-29)