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Updated: Dec 20, 2025

Real-Time Analysis of Bioenergetics in Primary Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Using High-Resolution Respirometry
Published on: February 3, 2023
Copper mediates mitochondrial biogenesis in retinal pigment epithelial cells
M Aloysius Dhivya1, S Aberami2, Sampath Nikhalashree1
1R S Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, KBIRVO, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, College Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 6, India; SASTRA deemed to be University, Trichy - Tanjore Road, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613401, India.
Abstract:
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease with genetic, biochemical and environmental risk factors. We observed a significant increase in copper levels in choroid-RPE from donor eyeballs with AMD. Adult retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE19 cells) exposed to copper in-vitro showed a 2-fold increase in copper influx transporter CTR1 and copper uptake at 50 μM concentration. Further there was 2-fold increase in cytochrome C oxidase activity and a 2-fold increase in the mRNA expression of NRF 2 with copper treatment. There was a significant increase in mitochondrial biogenesis markers PGC1β and TFAM which was confirmed by mitochondrial mass and copy number. On the contrary, in AMD choroid-RPE, the CTR1 mRNA was found to be significantly down-regulated compared to its respective controls. SCO1 and PGC1β mRNA showed an increase in choroid-RPE. Our study proposes copper to play an important role in mitochondrial biogenesis in RPE cells.
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