科研之友
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摘要
AIM: To investigate the roles of PKC-alpha/ezrin signals in phagocytosis crisis of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells in light damage model. @@@ METHODS: Light induced mice RPE injury model was established by continuously irradiating cool white light at different exposure time (0, 4, 8h light intensity: 4.18x10(-6) J/cm(2)). In vitro, human ARPE-19 cells treated with the doses and intensity (1.57x10(-6) J/cm(2)) of laser irradiation. Histology analysis was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. In vivo RPE phagocytosis was quantified by measuring the accumulation of photoreceptor outer segments in the sub-retinal space. In vitro RPE phagocytosis was assessed by calculating the relative fluorescence intensity of FITC-labeled microspheres in ARPE-19 cells. To further investigate the molecular mechanism, the activation of PKC-alpha/ezrin signal was evaluated by Western blot in vivo and in vitro. @@@ RESULTS: HE staining revealed that the thickness of outer nuclear layer decreased significantly after 4 and 8h light exposure. By immunostaining with rhodopsin, a significant greater accumulation of photoreceptor outer segment was noticed after light injury. In vitro, light injured RPE cells had less phagocytic activity in a dose dependent manner than that of the normal control (P<0.01). Western blot suggested the activation of PKC-a/ezrin signaling was down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner after light exposure. @@@ CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that light induced phagocytic crisis of RPE cells may result from the down-regulation of PKC-a/ezrin signaling.
