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Retinal protective effect of curcumin metabolite hexahydrocurcumin against blue light-induced RPE damage
Yi-Hsiung Lin1, Shwu-Jiuan Sheu2, Wangta Liu3
1Center for Lipid Biosciences, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan,; Lipid Science and Aging Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
Background:
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. We have previously demonstrated that blue light can damage RPE cells and their underlying mechanisms. We found that hexahydrocurcumin (HHC), a metabolite of curcumin, had better retinal protection than curcumin. However, the involved mechanisms remain unclear.
Methods:
By exposing ARPE-19 human RPE cells and mouse primary RPE cells to blue light, the intracellular mechanisms of HHC in cells were investigated, including the proliferation of RPE cells and the effects of HHC on activating intracellular protective mechanisms and related factors. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) RNA sequencing revealed the underlying mechanisms involved in the induction and regulation of HHC treatment following blue light exposure.
Results:
HHC promoted autophagy by enhancing autophagic flux, reduced oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and effectively reversed blue light-induced cell death. RNA sequencing-based bioinformatics approaches comprehensively analyze HHC-mediated cellular processes.
Conclusion:
Our findings elucidate the mechanisms of HHC against blue light damage in RPE cells and are beneficial for the development of natural metabolite-based preventive drugs or functional foods.
