Abstract:To study the protective effect of blueberry, blackcurrant, medlar, cassia seed complex (LHGJ) against the oxidative stress injury in human retinal epithelial cells (APRE-19) induced by methylglyoxal (MGO). The ARPE-19 cell model was established through inducing oxidative stress by MGO, and LHGJ solutions at different concentrations were used to treat the cells. Cell viability was determined by the CCK-8 method, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in cells was measured by the fluorescence microscopy method, the nitric oxide (NO) content was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) content was measured by colorimetry, and the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was measured by the hydroxylamine method. The results showed that oxidative stress injury in ARPE-19 cells could be induced by 0.80 mmol/L MGO. The induced ARPE-19 cells were then treated with 0.10 or 1.00 μg/mL LHGJ complex, which increased the cell viability by 23.03% and 21.23%, respectively (P<0.001). LHGJ complex solutions at 0.01, 0.10 and 10.00 μg/mL significantly (P<0.05) reduced the fluorescence intensity of ROS (by 1.02, 1.28 and 2.37 times, respectively), LHGJ complex solutions at 0.01, 0.10 and 10.00 μg/mL significantly (P<0.05) decreased NO production (by 13.24, 15.23 and 16.24 μmol/g prot., respectively), LHGJ complex solutions at 1.0 and 10.00 μg/mL significantly (P<0.05) increased the activity of SOD (by 6.01 and 7.43 U/mg, respectively) (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the content of GSH-Px (by 14.32 and 25.42 U/mg, respectively) (P<0.05). LHGJ complex can protect ARPE-19 cells against oxidative stress injury induced by MGO, which provides a theoretical basis for further development of LHGJ complex.
