Effects of subretinal implant materials on the viability, apoptosis and barrier function of cultured RPE cells.
BACKGROUND
Subretinal microphotodiode array (MPDA) is a type of visual prosthesis used for the implantation in the subretinal space of patients with progressive photoreceptor cell loss. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of materials for MPDA on the viability, apoptosis and barrier function of cultured pig retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells.


METHODS
Primary culture of pig RPE cells was performed and 24 pig eyes were used to start RPE culture. The third passage of the cultures was plated on different materials for MPDA and MPDAs. The tetrazolium dye-reduction assay (MTT) was used to determine RPE cell viability. Flow cytometry was measured to indicate the apoptosis rates of RPE cells on different materials. RPE cells were also cultured on microporous filters, and the transepithelial resistance and permeability of the experimental molecule were measured to determine the barrier function.


RESULTS
The data from all the methods indicated no significant difference between the materials groups and the control group, and the materials tested showed good biocompatibility.


CONCLUSIONS
The materials for MPDA used in the present study had no direct toxicity to the RPE cells and did not release harmful soluble factors that affected the barrier function of RPE in vitro.
Wu
Hui-Juan
HJ
Department of Ophthalmology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Peking, People's Republic of China.
Li
Xiao-Xin
XX
Dong
Jian-Qiang
JQ
Pei
Wei-Hua
WH
Chen
Hong-Da
HD
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D040761:Biomimetic Materials; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000378:metabolism; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008422:Materials Testing; D008839:Microelectrodes; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000166:cytology; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D013552:Swine
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D019793:Fluorescein