From Sea to Sight: Fucoidan Protects Against Oxidative Damage in Porcine Retina Organ Culture

Degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a hallmark of glaucoma. As RGCs are vulnerable to oxidative imbalance, anti-oxidative strategies are of significant interest as novel therapeutic targets. Fucoidans, bioactive compounds derived from algae, are known to be anti-oxidative. Hence, we investigated if fucoidans have protective effects in a retina organ culture model. Porcine explants were pre-treated with fucoidan (Fucus vesiculosus; FVs) for 0.5 h (10 or 50 µg/mL). Afterwards, damage was induced through H₂O₂ (500 µM; 3 h). Four groups were investigated: control, H₂O₂, 10 FVs + H₂O₂, and 50 FVs + H₂O₂. RGCs, glial cells, hypoxic/oxidative, apoptotic, and ferroptotic markers were examined by immunohistology, RT-qPCR, and a caspase assay. H₂O₂ led to lower RGC numbers and RBPMS expression levels while FVs prevented this degeneration. An upregulation of glial expressions and more microglia/macrophages were observed in H₂O₂ samples, mitigated by FVs. Anti-oxidative genes increased during stress but normalized with FVs. Apoptotic signaling increased while GPX4 mRNA expression decreased with H₂O₂, both restored by FVs. Consequently, RGC loss was prevented through the attenuation of glial activation, inhibition of hypoxic/oxidative stress, and anti-ferroptotic/apoptotic action mediated by FVs. Advancing glaucoma research, this study emphasizes the therapeutic potential of FVs and offers new directions for future research.