Protective Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate After UV Irradiation of Cultured Human Lens Epithelial Cells

Purpose: To evaluate the protective effects of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) against UV irradiation of cultured human lens epithelial cells. Methods: We irradiated cultured human lens epithelial cells with a 30-second pulse from a UV lamp with an irradiance of 0.6 mW/cm2. Five minutes and 1 hour after UV irradiation, we administered 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, or 100μm EGCG. The cell number was measured with a microscopic counting chamber and cell viability was evaluated using the 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: Compared to untreated cells, the total number of cultured human lens epithelial cells was markedly higher after UV irradiation. In a dose-dependent manner, viability was also higher in EGCG-treated cells. Conclusions: EGCG increased the cell count and cell viability after UV irradiation of cultured human lens epithelial cells, indicating that EGCG can protect lens epithelium against UV damage.