Protective Effects of Gamma-mangostin on Hydrogen Peroxideinduced Cytotoxicity in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

BACKGROUNDThe role of epigenetic alterations in the pathogenesis of retinal degenerative diseases, such as macular degeneration is not well established. This study aimed to evaluate whether treatments with gamma-mangostin can rescue the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced cytotoxicity in human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODSARPE-19 cells were treated with H2O2 alone or with gamma-mangostin plus H2O2 to investigate changes relating to cell viability, appearance of sub-G1 cells, antioxidant enzymes, and apoptotic-related proteins. RESULTSThe data showed that under H2O2 treatment of 400 μM, there was a significant decrease in cell viability and enhanced apoptosis, together with an increased expression of Bax, Bad, cleaved-caspase-3, -8, and -9 at the protein level. On the contrary, the protein expression levels of Bcl2 and Bcl-xl were decreased. Gamma-mangostin pre-treatments (2-16 μM) could effectively prevent all alterations. CONCLUSIONGamma-mangostin may conduct its eye-protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative damage via anti- apoptotic and antioxidant mechanisms in ARPE-19 cells.