Blueberry anthocyanins: protection against ageing and light-induced damage in retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are vital for retinal health. However, they are susceptible to injury with ageing and exposure to excessive light, including UV (100-380 nm) and visible (380-760 nm) radiation. To evaluate the protective effect of blueberry anthocyanins on RPE cells, in vitro cell models of replicative senescent and light-induced damage were established in the present study. After purification and fractionation, blueberry anthocyanin extracts (BAE) were yielded with total anthocyanin contents of 31·0 (SD 0·5) % and were used in this study. Replicative senescence of RPE cells was induced by repeatedly passaging cells from the fourth passage to the tenth. From the fifth passage, cultured RPE cells began to enter a replicative senescence, exhibiting reduced cell proliferation along with an increase in the number of β-galactosidase-positive cells. RPE cells maintained high cell viability (P < 0·01) and a low (P < 0·01) percentage of β-galactosidase-positive cells when treated with 0·1 μg/ml BAE. In contrast, after exposure to 2500 (SD 500) lx light (420-800 nm) for 12 h, RPE cells in the positive control (light exposure, no BAE treatment) exhibited premature senescence, low (P < 0·01) cell viability and increased (P < 0·01) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release compared with negative control cells, which were not subjected to light irradiation and BAE exposure. Correspondingly, BAE is beneficial to RPE cells by protecting these cells against light-induced damage through the suppression of ageing and apoptosis as well as the down-regulation of the over-expressed VEGF to normal level. These results demonstrate that BAE is efficacious against senescence and light-induced damage of RPE cells.
Functional Food Research Laboratory, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Haidian District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Yixiang
Y
Liu
Xue
X
Song
Di
D
Zhang
Feng
F
Zhou
Dan
D
Wang
Ying
Y
Wei
Fengyi
F
Gao
Liyang
L
Xie
Gang
G
Jia
Wei
W
Wu
Baoping
B
Ji
D000375:Aging; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029798:Blueberry Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000872:Anthocyanins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A