The Protective Effects of a Dietary Carotenoid, Astaxanthin, Against Light-Induced Retinal Damage

The Protective Effects of a Dietary Carotenoid, Astaxanthin, Against Light-Induced Retinal Damage

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Dietary carotenoids exhibit various biological activities, including Equipment antioxidative activity.In particular, astaxanthin, a type of carotenoid, is well known as a powerful antioxidant.We investigated whether astaxanthin would protect against light-induced retinal damage.In an in vivo study, ddY male mice were exposed to white light at 8,000 lux for 3 h to induce retinal damage.

Five days after light exposure, retinal damage was evaluated by measuring electroretinogram (ERG) amplitude and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness.Furthermore, expression of apoptotic cells, 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), was measured.In an in vitro study, retinal damage was induced by white light exposure at 2,500 lux for 24 h, and propidium iodide (PI)-positive cells was Laptop Power Supplies measured and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity was examined.Astaxanthin at 100 mg/kg inhibited the retinal dysfunction in terms of ERG and ONL loss and reduced the expression of apoptotic and 8-OHdG-positive cells induced by light exposure.

Furthermore, astaxanthin protected against increases of PI-positive cells and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity in 661W cells.These findings suggest that astaxanthin has protective effects against light-induced retinal damage via the mechanism of its antioxidative effect.Keywords:: astaxanthin, photoreceptor, oxidative stress, age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa.