Elemental mass spectrometry to study metallo-transcriptomic changes during the in vitro degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium

Trace elements play crucial roles in cellular biology. Their improper homeostasis may contribute to the progress of eye diseases, exacerbated during ageing. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is progressively deteriorated during age-related neurodegeneration and metal homeostasis may be compromised. In this study, elemental mass spectrometry (MS) was combined with cellular and molecular biology techniques to identify changes in trace elements during the in vitro degeneration of human RPE cells. Cells were collected at 21, 91, and 133 days and processed for RNA sequencing; Ca, Na, P, Mg, and Cu quantification by flow injection analysis and inductively coupled plasma–MS; and protein analysis by immunocytochemistry. Four-month-old RPE cultures showed depigmentation, impaired barrier function, and antioxidant protection, manifesting signs of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Na and P significantly increased in the cytosol of degenerated RPE cells (from 15 ± 20 to 13495 ± 638 ng·µg −1 and from 30.6 ± 9.5 to 116.8 ± 16.8 ng·µg −1 , respectively). Mg decreased in both the cytosol and insoluble fraction of cells (from 2.83 ± 0.40 to 1.58 ± 0.56 ng·µg −1 and from 247.57 ± 11.06 to 30 ± 8 ng·g −1 , respectively), while P and Cu decreased in the insoluble fraction after 133 days in culture (from 9471 ± 1249 to 4555 ± 985 ng·µg −1 and from 2251 ± 79 to 1054 ± 235 ng·g −1 , respectively), along with changes in metal-dependent antioxidant enzymes and Cu transporters. This RPE model reflected metal homeostatic changes, providing additional perspectives on effects of metal regulation during ageing. Graphical Abstract