Potential Protective Role of TRPM7 and Involvement of PKC/ERK Pathway in Blue Light–Induced Apoptosis in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells in Vitro

Purpose: Blue light triggers apoptosis of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and causes retinal damage. The aim of this study was to elucidate the protective role of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) in photodamaged RPE cells. Methods: RPE cells were isolated from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and exposed to varying intensities of blue light (500–5000 lux) in vitro. Cell proliferation and metabolic activity were respectively assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting were used to analyze the TRPM7, protein kinase C (PKC), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Bcl2-associated x/B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bax/Bcl-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels. The cells were transfected with TRPM7 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or transduced with TRPM7-overexpressing lentiviruses and cultured with or without the pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). Results: Blue light inhibited the proliferation and metabolic activity of RPE cells in an intensity-dependent manner when compared to nonirradiated controls (P 
Source: Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology - Category: Opthalmology Tags: Original Study Source Type: research