Abstract
Purpose :
To assess effects of Vitamin D3 and meso-zeaxanthin, two molecules used in clinical practice in patients with AMD, in an in-vitro model of AMD. Amyloid-β (Aβ) retinal deposition has been reported in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and it might play a detrimental role in the development of the disease. Fibrils of Aβ have been identified among the constituents of drusen, which cause oxidative stress and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) damage.
Methods :
Human ARPE-19 cells were treated with soluble Aβ1-42 oligomers; cells were exposed to 1 and 10 μM of Aβ1-42 for 48 h and with vitamin D3 (50 nM-1 μM), meso-zeaxanthin (0.1μM and 0.5 μM) or in combination of the two compounds (Aβ 1 μM-10 μM + vitamin D3 50 nM + meso-zeaxanthin 0.1μM; Aβ 1 μM-10 μM + vitamin D3 1 μM + meso-zeaxanthin 0.5 μM). Cells were pre-treated for 16 hours with both vitamin D3 and meso-zeaxanthin; after pre-treatment ARPE-19 were exposed to Aβ insult. Effects of Aβ and anti-oxidants on ARPE-19 were evaluated with MTT assay and LDH release assay and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Results :
Vitamin D3 and meso-zeaxanthin alone or in combination protected ARPE-19 against the damage elicited by amyloid-β (1-10 μM). Aβ significantly (p<0.05) reduced cell proliferation and increased LDH release after 48 h of exposure. These effects were significantly (p<0.05) counteracted by vitamin D3 and meso-zeaxanthin treatments, alone or in combination (the combo treatment exerted the best effect). Further, the release of ROS was significantly (p<0.05) reduced only by vitamin D3 and meso-zeaxanthin co-treatment, in ARPE-19 challenged with Aβ (1-10 μM).
Conclusions :
These findings demonstrated, at least in our in-vitro paradigm, that combination of mezo-zeaxanthin/vitamin D3 exerts an higher protective effect compared to the effect of the single molecules in ARPE-19 cells damaged by Aβ. Further studies are needed to confirm the useful combination of meso-zeaxanthin/vitamin D3 to protect RPE cells in different paradigms.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.