Lipofuscin-formation in retinal pigment epithelial cells is reduced by antioxidants

The accumulation of lipofuscin by retinal pigment epithelium may be an important feature in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration, suggesting the possibility that this common cause of blindness might be prevented or delayed by antioxidants. In support of this idea, we now report significantly reduced formation of lipofuscin when the antioxidant substances lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene (carotenoids), or alpha-tocopherol were added to rabbit and bovine (calf) retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells exposed to normobaric hyperoxia (40%) and photoreceptor outer segments. Rabbit and calf RPE cells were grown for 2 weeks with addition of one of the test substances every 48 h. The cellular uptake of carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol was assayed by HPLC after 2 weeks. The lipofuscin-content was measured by static fluorometry (rabbit cells) or by image analysis (calf cells). Both rabbit and calf RPE showed similar results with significantly lower amounts of lipofuscin in antioxidant-treated cells. The effect of carotenoids is especially interesting, since the result is not dependent on their protective effect against photo-oxidative reactions. The chain-breaking abilities of these antioxidants in peroxidative reactions of lipid membranes and quenching of free radicals seem to be of importance for inhibition of lipofuscin formation.