Abstract
Purpose :
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is toxic to the metabolism of retinal pigment epithelium resulting in oxidative stress and cell death. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNP) are catalytic and regenerative antioxidants which protect against oxidative damage. Our aim was to investigate the antioxidant effects of CNP against HCQ induced reactive oxygen species on human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE19) cells.
Methods :
CNP at various concentrations (10-500 µM) were added to ARPE19 cell cultures for 48 hours to assess the safety of the nanoparticles. HCQ at various concentrations (50-500 µM) were added to ARPE19 cell cultures for 48 hours to determine a model toxicity dose for HCQ of 250 µM. Then concentrations of CNP (10, 50, and 100 µM) were combined with ARPE19 cells in 250 µM of HCQ for 48 hours (Figure 1). Cell viability was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.
Results :
ARPE19 cells exposed to CNP at concentrations up to 500 µM did not induce cell toxicity. Exposure of HCQ did reduced cell viability with increasing quantity when compared to controls. CNP did mitigate cell toxicity when added to HCQ at 250 µM. Interestingly cell viability was highest at the lowest concentration of CNP 10 µM.
Conclusions :
In our study CNP did not exhibit untoward effects on ARPE19 cell viability. CNP demonstrated the inhibition of oxidative stress caused by HCQ on ARPE19 cells. CNP could be a promising treatment modality in retinal diseases resulting from oxidative stress such as hydroxycholorquine retinopathy.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.