New antioxidant SkQ1 is an effective protector of rat neural retina under conditions of long-term organotypic cultivation

E. N. Grigoryan, Y. P. Novikova, O. V. Kilina, P. P. Philippov

Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia Institute of Mitoengineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
Kol’tsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
Kol’tsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.

DOI: 10.4236/aar.2013.22009                

Abstract

During life human eye is constantly exposed to sunlight and artificial light, the sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS)—the main cause of age-related eye pathology. A novel mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 has recently been invented to reduce mitochondrial ROS by cleaning the mitochondria matrix, “the dirtiest place in the cell” in respect of ROS production and accumulation. Earlier we studied SkQ1 effects upon retinal pigment epithelium and choroid in the rat eye posterior cups exposed to long-term 3D organotypic culturing. It was found that under in vitro conditions 20 nM SkQ1 effectively reduced cell death in retinal pigment epithelium and choroid and protected the tissues from disintegration and cell withdrawal. In the present study we used same ex vivo conditions to examine the effect of SkQ1 upon the rat neural retina kept in the content of the posterior eye cup. Eye cups were isolated and cultured in vitro during 7, 14, and 30 days under rotation in the presence and absence of 20 nM SkQ1 in the culture medium. Serial sections of cultivated eye cups were subjected to histology, computer morphometry and immunohistochemistry. Obtained results show that SkQ1 operates as a strong protective agent, preventing neuronal cell death and other degenerative processes in the neural retina. Cell rescue by SkQ1 was more vivid in the central part of the retina than at the periphery. That, in turn, suggests SkQ1 effectiveness in treatment of some age-related eye diseases when central part of the retina, including macula, is most susceptible to degeneration.

Keywords

Rat; Eye; Neural Retina; Organotypic Culturing in Vitro; Age-Related Ophthalmic Disorders; Antioxidant SkQ1; Cell-Type Specific Proteins; Cell Death

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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