Green tea extract attenuates LPS-induced retinal inflammation in rats

Inflammation is in a wide spectrum of retinal diseases, causing irreversible blindness and visual impairment. We have previously demonstrated that Green Tea Extract (GTE) is a potent anti-inflammatory agent for anterior uveitis. Here we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of GTE on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced retinal inflammation in rats and explored the underlying mechanism. Adult rats were injected with LPS and GTE was administered intra-gastrically at 2, 8, 26 and 32 hours post-injection. Staining of whole-mount retina showed that the number of activated microglia cells was significantly increased at 48 hours post-injection, which was suppressed after GTE treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Activation of astrocytes and Müller glia in the retina was also suppressed after GTE treatment. Meanwhile, GTE reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 in retina and vitreous humor. These anti-inflammatory effects were associated with a reduced phosphorylation of STAT3 and NF-κB in the retina. Furthermore, the surface receptor of EGCG, 67LR, was localized on the neurons and glia in the retina. These findings demonstrate that GTE is an effective agent in suppressing LPS-induced retinal inflammation, probably through its potent anti-oxidative property and a receptor-mediated action on transcription factors that regulate production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.