Lutein suppresses t-BHP-induced apoptosis in retinal ganglion cells

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of lutein on retinal ganglion cells in vitro. METHODS: The effect of lutein on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-treated retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5 cell line) was determined. The protein expression of Brn-3 and MAP-2 was examined by the method of immunocytochemistry to identify the RGC-5 cells. The RGC-5 cells were induced by a 24 h exposure of t-BHP, and the cell viability was examined by MTT assay. The apoptotic ratio of the RGC-5 cells after exposed to t-BHP or/ and lutein treatment was analyzed by flow cytometry assay with Annexin V-FITC /PI staining. The activation of caspase-3 was detected by immunocytochemistry and the protein levels of Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, JNK and c-Jun were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The RGC-5 cells expressed Brn-3 and MAP-2 proteins. Lutein treatment prevented t-BHP-induced RGC-5 cell apoptosis and increased the cell activity. Compared with control group, exposure of the RGC-5 cells to t-BHP decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, up-regulated the level of cleaved caspase-3, also promoted the phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun. Lutein partly reversed the effects of t-BHP on the RGC-5 cells mentioned above. CONCLUSION: Lutein protects RGC-5 cells against t-BHP-induced apoptosis by up-regulating Bcl-2 expression and inhibiting caspase-3 activation through modulating the JNK signaling pathway.