title: Protection of retina by mini-αA in NaIO3-induced retinal pigment epithelium degeneration mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown that mini-αA can protect retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from apoptosis. However, no in vivo study concerning the anti-apoptotic function of mini-αA has been conducted yet.
  
  
  METHODS
  MTT assay, HE staining and TUNEL assay were used to assess levels of cells, and an animal model was established to examine the protective effects of mini-αA against NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR were performed to explore the possible mechanism of mini-αA's protective function against NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RESULTS from in vivo and animal experiments showed that mini-αA antagonized NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis. Further investigation into how mini-αA provided protection against NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis showed that mini-αA reduced NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, unfolded protein response was also involved in the protective effects of mini-αA against NaIO3-induced RPE cell apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  mini-αA can antagonize RPE cell apoptosis induced by NaIO3. A possible mechanism is by inhibition of apoptosis by repressing autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. zhjinglin@126.com.
authors.forename: Jinglin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. zhxj77retina@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiujuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. caiyu672@163.com.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. liyhao@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yonghao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. yuxiling246@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. lulin888@126.com.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D007452:Iodates; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D038202:alpha-Crystallin A Chain / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007452:Iodates; D010455:Peptides; D020011:Protective Agents; D038202:alpha-Crystallin A Chain; C032285:sodium iodate