α-Iso-Cubebene Alleviates AMD-like Retinal Injury Through Modulation of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cell Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Oxidative stress is a key factor in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progression.
• Natural product-derived single compounds for AMD treatment are under-explored.
• Alpha-iso-cubebene's potential therapeutic effects against AMD are investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the protective effects of alpha-iso-cubebene against AMD-like retinal injury.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of alpha-iso-cubebene's action.
• To evaluate alpha-iso-cubebene as a potential therapeutic candidate for AMD.

Main Methods:

• AMD-mimicking models using ARPE-19 cells co-treated with blue light (BL) and N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E).
• In vivo studies using BL-exposed BALB/c mice.
• Analysis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, Nrf2, apoptosis markers, inflammasome signaling, and inflammatory cytokines.

Main Results:

• Alpha-iso-cubebene reduced ROS and NO production and restored SOD activity and Nrf2 in ARPE-19 cells.
• It improved cell viability, reduced apoptosis, and regulated apoptosis-related signaling pathways.
• Protective effects were observed in BL-exposed mice, with preserved retinal structure and normalized inflammatory cytokines.

Conclusions:

• Alpha-iso-cubebene alleviates AMD-like retinal injury by enhancing antioxidant responses.
• It reduces inflammatory and apoptotic signaling pathways involved in AMD.
• Alpha-iso-cubebene demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for AMD.