title: The effect of zinc on the apoptosis of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
abstract: To clarify the effects of zinc on the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured human retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) and the expression of caspase-3 in RPE cells. The effect of Zinc on the proliferation of RPE were examined with MTT method. TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptosis of RPE cells. Caspase-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry. A concentration of zinc higher than 0.001 microM could inhibit the proliferation of RPE. And the relationship between concentration of zinc higher than 10 microM and growth prohibition rate of RPE cells was dose-dependent. All concentrations of zinc including 0.001 microM enhanced the expression of caspase-3 of RPE. But only the concentration of zinc higher than 0.01 microM could induce apoptosis of RPE. It is concluded that zinc could enhance the expression of caspase-3 of RPE cells and induce apoptosis of RPE cells. Caution should be taken when using zinc supplements for the treatment of ARMD patients without deficiency of zinc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xiehe Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases; D015032:Zinc