Abstract
Presentation Description :
The research in this presentation demonstrates that the vitamin B3, nicotinamide, induces rapid differentiation of ARPE-19 and human primary RPE cells, promoting several characteristics of native RPE, including epithelial-type organization of cytoskeletal elements, expression and polarized localization of RPE-expressed proteins, and phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. Exposure of cultured RPE cells to nicotinamide increases the NAD+/NADH ratio and enhances the expression of mitochondria-specific genes and proteins. Nicotinamide was also shown to enhance mitochondrial respiration and increased carbon shunting from glucose into the TCA cycle. Conversely, removal of nicotinamide from the medium reverted the RPE cells to a fibroblast-type morphology and caused a decrease in the expression of mitochondrial proteins. This research demonstrates that mitochondrial metabolism is a driver of RPE differentiation and is necessary for the maintenance of a polarized epithelium.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.