Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026
Organotypic Retinal Explant Cultures from Macaque Monkey
Published on: August 24, 2022
Curcumin Delays Retinal Degeneration by Regulating Microglia Activation in the Retina of rd1 Mice
Yanhe Wang1,2,3, Zhiyuan Yin1,2, Lixiong Gao1,2
1Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Background/Aims:
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is characterized by degeneration of photoreceptors, and there are currently no effective treatments for this disease. However, curcumin has shown neuroprotectant efficacy in a RP rat and swine model, and thus, may have neuroprotective effects in this disease.
Methods:
Immunofluorescence staining, electroretinogram recordings, and behavioral tests were used to analyze the effects of curcumin and the underlying mechanism in retinal degeneration 1 (rd1) mice.
Results:
The number of apoptotic cells in the retina of rd1 mice at postnatal day 14 significantly decreased with curcumin treatment and visual function was improved. The activation of microglia and secretion of chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases in the retina were inhibited by curcumin. These effects were also observed in a co-culture of BV2 microglial cells and retina-derived 661W cells.
Conclusions:
Curcumin delayed retinal degeneration by suppressing microglia activation in the retina of rd1 mice. Thus, it may be an effective treatment for neurodegenerative disorders such as RP.
