Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Photodegradation of Lipofuscin in Suspension and in ARPE-19 cells and the Similarity of Fluorescence of the Photodegradation Product with Oxidized Docosahexaenoate

Version 1 : Received: 11 December 2021 / Approved: 14 December 2021 / Online: 14 December 2021 (11:41:14 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Różanowska, M.B.; Różanowski, B. Photodegradation of Lipofuscin in Suspension and in ARPE-19 Cells and the Similarity of Fluorescence of the Photodegradation Product with Oxidized Docosahexaenoate. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 922. Różanowska, M.B.; Różanowski, B. Photodegradation of Lipofuscin in Suspension and in ARPE-19 Cells and the Similarity of Fluorescence of the Photodegradation Product with Oxidized Docosahexaenoate. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 922.

Abstract

Retinal lipofuscin accumulates with age in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) where its fluorescence properties are used to assess the retinal health. It was observed that there is a decrease in lipofuscin fluorescence above the age of 75 years and in early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of lipofuscin isolated from human RPE, and lipofuscin-laden-cells to visible light, and determine whether an abundant component of lipofuscin, docosahexaenoate (DHA) can contribute to lipofuscin fluorescence upon oxidation. Exposure of lipofuscin to visible leads to a decrease of its long-wavelength fluorescence at about 610 nm with concomitant growth of the short-wavelength fluorescence. The emission spectrum of photodegraded lipofuscin exhibits similarity with that of oxidized DHA. Exposure to light of lipofuscin-laden cells leads to loss of lipofuscin granules from cells, while retaining cell viability. The spectral changes of fluorescence in lipofuscin-laden cells resemble those seen during photodegradation of isolated lipofuscin. Our results demonstrate that fluorescence emission spectra together with quantitation of intensity of long-wavelength fluorescence can serve as a marker useful for lipofuscin quantification and for monitoring its oxidation, thereby useful for screening the retina for increased oxidative damage and early AMD-related changes.

Keywords

lipofuscin; retina; retinal pigment epithelium; docosahexaenoate; docosahexaenoic acid; fluorescence; photodegradation; photobleaching; cell viability; endocytic activity

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Biophysics

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.