S-allyl cysteine protects retinal pigment epithelium cells from hydroquinone-induced apoptosis through mitigating cellular response to oxidative stress.

European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences
Z-W SunZ-L Hu

Abstract

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degenerative death is an evident hallmark of advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The present study aims to evaluate the protective effects of S-allyl L-cysteine (SAC), a bioactive component from aged garlic extracts, on the oxidative stress-related apoptosis of RPE cells and to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining were performed to evaluate the effects of SAC on the hydroquinone-treated human ARPE19 cells. The Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production was measured by virtue of flow cytometry or determined under an inverted fluorescence microscope. Furthermore, the expression of antioxidant factor Nrf2, as well as downstream antioxidant genes, including NQO1, SOD1, SOD2, and HO1 was assessed in hydroquinone stimulated ARPE19 cells, in the presence or absence of SAC pretreatment. Hydroquinone incitement contributed to a marked decrease in cell viability, but enhanced cell apoptosis, whereas SAC addition did not cause significant alterations. When cells were pre-treated with SAC, cell proliferation was dramatically enhanced wher...Continue Reading

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Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis