NMDA Receptor Antagonists Degrade Lipofuscin via Autophagy in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells.

ABSTRACT: Background and Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration is a slow-progressing disease in which lipofuscin accumulates in the retina, causing inflammation and apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. This study aimed to identify N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) signaling as a novel mechanism for scavenging N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E), a component of ocular lipofuscin, in human RPE cells. Materials and Methods: A2E degradation assays were performed in ARPE-19 cells using fluorescently labeled A2E. The autophagic activity in ARPE-19 cells was measured upon blue light (BL) exposure, after A2E treatment. Autophagy flux was determined by measuring LC3-II formation using immunoblotting and confocal microscopy. To determine whether autop

SUBMITTER: Lee JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9415004 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature