Abstract
Fucoxanthin, a special xanthophyll derived from marine algae, has increasingly attracted attention due to its diverse biological functions. However, reports on its ocular benefits are still limited. In this work, the ameliorative effect of fucoxanthin on visible light and lipid peroxidation-induced phagocytosis disruption in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells was investigated in vitro. Marked oxidative stress, inflammation, and phagocytosis disruption were evident in differentiated RPE cells following their exposure to visible light under a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich environment. Following pretreatment with fucoxanthin, however, the activated nuclear factor erythroid-derived-2-like 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway was observed and, furthermore, when the fucoxanthin -pretreated RPE cells were irradiated with visible light, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and inflammation were obviously suppressed, while phagocytosis was significantly improved. However, following the addition of Nrf2 inhibitor ML385, the fucoxanthin exhibited no ameliorative effects on the oxidative stress, inflammation, and phagocytosis disruption in the RPE cells, thus indicating that the ameliorative effect of fucoxanthin on the phagocytosis of RPE cells is closely related to the Nrf2 signaling pathway. In conclusion, these results suggest that fucoxanthin supplementation might be beneficial to the prevention of visible light-induced retinal injury.
Highlights
The proliferation of electronic devices and diverse lighting products has led to a dramatic increase in the incidences of light-induced photochemical eye damage and has become a major cause of visual health problems in modern society [1,2]
Does the retina metabolize and function under hyperoxic conditions, but the outer segments of its photoreceptors are rich in photosensitizer molecules and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) [4,5]
When the eyes are exposed to natural or artificial light sources for long periods of time, retinas become vulnerable to oxidative stress, greatly increasing the risk of retinopathy [6,7,8]
Summary
The proliferation of electronic devices (such as computers, widescreen phones, and televisions) and diverse lighting products has led to a dramatic increase in the incidences of light-induced photochemical eye damage and has become a major cause of visual health problems in modern society [1,2]. As the site of visual imaging and visible light focusing, retinal tissue is a vulnerable target for photochemical damage [3]. When the eyes are exposed to natural or artificial light sources for long periods of time, retinas become vulnerable to oxidative stress, greatly increasing the risk of retinopathy [6,7,8]. It has been suggested that light-induced retinal injury can initiate age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a major cause of vision deterioration and blindness in the elderly [4,11]. The prevention of retinal photo-oxidative damage through dietary nutritional supplementation has become a significant research focus for food scientists and nutritionists
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