Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the genotoxic effects of lutein (LBP) and β -carotene breakdown products (β -apo-8-carotenal, BA8C) and the preventive role of GSH in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19). Methods: LBP- and BA8C-induced DNA damage in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) was determined by comet assay. The DNA damage was quantified by the image analysis system using Comet Score™ software. ARPE-19 cell viability was determined by CellTiter 96 AQueous one-solution cell proliferation assay kit. Intracellular GSH levels were measured by Ellman's reagent. Results: Incubation of serum-starved ARPE-19 cells with LBP and BA8C caused significant DNA damage in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The DNA damage and cell death incurred by LBP and BA8C were significantly prevented by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) but not by α -tocopherol ascorbic acid (T AA). Furthermore, BSO-induced GSH depletion in ARPE-19 cells caused a significant elevation in LBP- and BA8C-induced DNA damage, whereas increased GSH levels in ARPE-19 cells prevented it. Conclusions: Our results suggest that breakdown products of dietary carotenoids could be genotoxic in ARPE-19 cells. LBP-induced genotoxic effects could worsen oxidative stress. The intracellular GSH pool in ARPE-19 cells might play a critical role in carotenoid breakdown products-induced genotoxicity.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 737-747 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Current Eye Research |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants GM71036 (to KVR), DK36118 (to SKS), and Wilkins AMD Fund and Research to Prevent Blindness Grant (to FJGMvK).
Keywords
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Antioxidants
- Carotenoid breakdown products
- Carotenoids
- DNA damage
- Lutein breakdown products