Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Toxicity of blue led light and A2E is associated to mitochondrial dynamics impairment in ARPE-19 cells: implications for age-related macular degeneration

  • Organ Toxicity and Mechanisms
  • Published:
Archives of Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial retinal disease characterized by a progressive loss of central vision. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration is a critical event in AMD. It has been associated to A2E accumulation, which sensitizes RPE to blue light photodamage. Mitochondrial quality control mechanisms have evolved to ensure mitochondrial integrity and preserve cellular homeostasis. Particularly, mitochondrial dynamics involve the regulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion to preserve a healthy mitochondrial network. The present study aims to clarify the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying photodamage-induced RPE cell death with particular focus on the involvement of defective mitochondrial dynamics. Light-emitting diodes irradiation (445 ± 18 nm; 4.43 mW/cm2) significantly reduced the viability of both unloaded and A2E-loaded human ARPE-19 cells and increased reactive oxygen species production. A2E along with blue light, triggered apoptosis measured by MC540/PI-flow cytometry and activated caspase-3. Blue light induced mitochondrial fusion/fission imbalance towards mitochondrial fragmentation in both non-loaded and A2E-loaded cells which correlated with the deregulation of mitochondria-shaping proteins level (OPA1, DRP1 and OMA1). To our knowledge, this is the first work reporting that photodamage causes mitochondrial dynamics deregulation in RPE cells. This process could possibly contribute to AMD pathology. Our findings suggest that the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics may be a valuable strategy for treating retinal degeneration diseases, such as AMD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alaimo A, Gorojod RM, Kotler ML (2011) The extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in manganese toxicity in rat astrocytoma C6 cells. Neurochem Int 59:297–308

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alaimo A, Gorojod RM, Miglietta EA, Villarreal A, Ramos AJ, Kotler ML (2013) Manganese induces mitochondrial dynamics impairment and apoptotic cell death: a study in human Gli36 cells. Neurosci Lett 554:76–81

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alaimo A, Gorojod RM, Beauquis J, Muñoz MJ, Saravia F, Kotler ML (2014) Deregulation of mitochondria-shaping proteins Opa-1 and Drp-1 in manganese-induced apoptosis. PLoS One 9:e91848

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ao J, Wood JP, Chidlow G, Gillies MC, Casson RJ (2018) Retinal pigment epithelium in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration and photobiomodulation as a potential therapy? Clin Exp Ophthalmol 46:670–686

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arnault E, Barrau C, Nanteau C, Gondouin P, Bigot K, Viénot F, Gutman E, Fontaine V, Villette T, Cohen-Tannoudji D, Sahel JA, Picaud S (2013) Phototoxic action spectrum on a retinal pigment epithelium model of age-related macular degeneration exposed to sunlight normalized conditions. PLoS One 8:e71398

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Barot M, Gokulgandhi MR, Mitra AK (2011) Mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal diseases. Curr Eye Res 36:1069–1077

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Shabat S, Itagaki Y, Jockusch S, Sparrow JR, Turro NJ, Nakanishi K (2002) Formation of a nonaoxirane from A2E, a lipofuscin fluorophore related to macular degeneration, and evidence of singlet oxygen involvement. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 41:814–817

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berman K, Brodaty H (2006) Psychosocial effects of age-related macular degeneration. Int Psychogeriatr 18:415–428

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blasiak J, Piechota M, Pawlowska E, Szatkowska M, Sikora E, Kaarniranta K. Cellular senescence in age-related macular degeneration: can autophagy and DNA damage response play a role? Oxid Med Cell Longev 2017: 5293258

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brand MD, Affourtit C, Esteves TC, Green K, Lambert AJ, Miwa S, Pakay JL, Parker N (2004) Mitochondrial superoxide: production, biological effects, and activation of uncoupling proteins. Free Radic Biol Med 37:755–767

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brandstetter C, Mohr LK, Latz E, Holz FG, Krohne TU (2015) Light induces NLRP3 inflammasome activation in retinal pigment epithelial cells via lipofuscin-mediated photooxidative damage. J Mol Med (Berl) 93:905–916

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chahory S, Keller N, Martin E, Omri B, Crisanti P, Torriglia A (2010) Light induced retinal degeneration activates a caspase-independent pathway involving cathepsin D. Neurochem Int 57:278–287

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chamorro E, Bonnin-Arias C, Pérez-Carrasco MJ, Muñoz de Luna J, Vázquez D, Sánchez-Ramos C (2013) Effects of light-emitting diode radiations on human retinal pigment epithelial cells in vitro. Photochem Photobiol 89:468–473

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chauhan A, Vera J, Wolkenhauer O (2014) The systems biology of mitochondrial fission and fusion and implications for disease and aging. Biogerontology 15:1–12

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Contín MA, Arietti MM, Benedetto MM, Bussi C, Guido ME (2013) Photoreceptor damage induced by low- intensity light: model of retinal degeneration in mammals. Mol Vis 19:1614–1625

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn KC, Aotaki-Keen AE, Putkey FR, Hjelmeland LM (1996) ARPE-19, a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line with differentiated properties. Exp Eye Res 62:155–169

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feher J, Kovacs I, Artico M, Cavallotti C, Papale A, Balacco Gabrieli C (2006) Mitochondrial alterations of retinal pigment epithelium in age-related macular degeneration. Neurobiol Aging 27:983–989

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Robredo P, Sancho A, Johnen S, Recalde S, Gama N, Thumann G, Groll J, García-Layana A (2014) Current treatment limitations in age-related macular degeneration and future approaches based on cell therapy and tissue engineering. J Ophthalmol 2014:510285

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Finnemann SC, Leung LW, Rodriguez-Boulan E (2002) The lipofuscin component A2E selectively inhibits phagolysosomal degradation of photoreceptor phospholipid by the retinal pigment epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:3842–3847

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Fritsche LG, Fariss RN, Stambolian D, Abecasis GR, Curcio CA, Swaroop A (2014) Age-related macular degeneration: genetics and biology coming together. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 15:151–171

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Galluzzi L, Vitale I, Aaronson SA, Abrams JM, Adam D, Agostinis P et al (2018) Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018. Cell Death Differ 25:486–541

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gao ML, Deng WL, Huang N, Wang YY, Lei XL, Xu ZQ, Hu DN, Cai JQ, Lu F, Jin ZB (2016) Upregulation of GADD45α in light-damaged retinal pigment epithelial cells. Cell Death Discov 2:16013

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gea M, Schilirò T, Iacomussi P, Degan R, Bonetta S, Gilli G (2018) Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of light emitted by incandescent, halogen, and LED bulbs on ARPE-19 and BEAS-2B cell lines. J Toxicol Environ Health A 81:998–1014

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Godley BF, Shamsi FA, Liang FQ, Jarrett SG, Davies S, Boulton M (2005) Blue light induces mitochondrial DNA damage and free radical production in epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 280:21061–21066

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes LC, Di Benedetto G, Scorrano L (2011) During autophagy mitochondria elongate, are spared from degradation and sustain cell viability. Nat Cell Biol 13:589–598

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gorojod RM, Alaimo A, Porte Alcon S, Pomilio C, Saravia F, Kotler ML (2015) The autophagic-lysosomal pathway determines the fate of glial cells under manganese-induced oxidative stress conditions. Free Radic Biol Med 87:237–251

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gorojod RM, Alaimo A, Porte Alcon S, Martinez JH, Cortina ME, Vazquez ES, Kotler ML (2018) Heme oxygenase-1 protects astroglia against manganese-induced oxidative injury by regulating mitochondrial quality control. Toxicol Lett 295:357–368

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Huang C, Zhang P, Wang W, Xu Y, Wang M, Chen X, Dong X (2014) Long-term blue light exposure induces RGC-5 cell death in vitro: involvement of mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, oxidative stress, and MAPK signaling pathways. Apoptosis 19:922–932

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter JJ, Morgan JI, Merigan WH, Sliney DH, Sparrow JR, Williams DR (2012) The susceptibility of the retina to photochemical damage from visible light. Prog Retin Eye Res 31:28–42

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaadane I, Boulenguez P, Chahory S, Carré S, Savoldelli M, Jonet L, Behar-Cohen F, Martinsons C, Torriglia A (2015) Retinal damage induced by commercial light emitting diodes (LEDs). Free Radic Biol Med 84:373–384

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaadane I, Villalpando Rodriguez GE, Boulenguez P, Chahory S, Carré S, Savoldelli M, Jonet L, Behar-Cohen F, Martinsons C, Torriglia A (2017) Effects of white light-emitting diode (LED) exposure on retinal pigment epithelium in vivo. J Cell Mol Med 21:3453–3466

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kaarniranta K, Sinha D, Blasiak J, Kauppinen A, Veréb Z, Salminen A, Boulton ME, Petrovski G (2013) Autophagy and heterophagy dysregulation leads to retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction and development of age-related macular degeneration. Autophagy 9:973–984

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Karunadharma PP, Nordgaard CL, Olsen TW, Ferrington DA (2010) Mitochondrial DNA damage as a potential mechanism for age-related macular degeneration. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci 51:5470–5479

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kauppinen A, Paterno JJ, Blasiak J, Salminen A, Kaarniranta K (2016) Inflammation and its role in age-related macular degeneration. Cell Mol Life Sci 73:1765–1786

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kotiadis VN, Duchen MR, Osellame LD (2014) Mitochondrial quality control and communications with the nucleus are important in maintaining mitochondrial function and cell health. Biochim Biophys Acta 1840:1254–1265

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kuse Y, Ogawa K, Tsuruma K, Shimazawa M, Hara H (2014) Damage of photoreceptor-derived cells in culture induced by light emitting diode-derived blue light. Sci Rep 4:5223

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Laakko T, King L, Fraker P (2002) Versatility of merocyanine 540 for the flow cytometric detection of apoptosis in human and murine cells. J Immunol Methods 261:129–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert NG, ElShelmani H, Singh MK, Mansergh FC, Wride MA, Padilla M, Keegan D, Hogg RE, Ambati BK (2016) Risk factors and biomarkers of age-related macular degeneration. Prog Retin Eye Res 54:64–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Liesa M, Palacín M, Zorzano A (2009) Mitochondrial dynamics in mammalian health and disease. Physiol Rev 89:799–845

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lin CH, Wu MR, Li CH, Cheng HW, Huang SH, Tsai CH, Lin FL, Ho JD, Kang JJ, Hsiao G, Cheng YW (2017) Editor’s highlight: periodic exposure to smartphone-mimic low-luminance blue light induces retina damage through Bcl-2/BAX-dependent apoptosis. Toxicol Sci 157:196–210

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lionaki E, Markaki M, Palikaras K, Tavernarakis N (2015) Mitochondria, autophagy and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases: new insights into a complex interplay. Biochim Biophys Acta 1847:1412–1423

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lu B, Zhang P, Zhou M, Wang W, Gu Q, Feng J, Luo X, Sun X, Wang F, Sun X (2017) Involvement of XBP1s in blue light-induced A2E-containing retinal pigment epithelium cell death. Ophthalmic Res 57:252–262

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marie M, Bigot K, Angebault C, Barrau C, Gondouin P, Pagan D, Fouquet S, Villette T, Sahel JA, Lenaers G, Picaud S (2018) Light action spectrum on oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in A2E-loaded retinal pigment epithelium cells. Cell Death Dis 9:287

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McBride H, Scorrano L (2013) Mitochondrial dynamics and physiology. Biochim Biophys Acta 1833:148–149

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McBride H, Soubannier V (2010) Mitochondrial function: OMA1 and OPA1, the grandmasters of mitochondrial health. Curr Biol 20:R274–R276

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McVicar T, Langer T (2016) OPA1 processing in cell death and disease—the long and short of it. J Cell Sci 129:2297–2306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moon J, Yun J, Yoon YD, Park SI, Seo YJ, Park WS, Chu HY, Park KH, Lee MY, Lee CW, Oh SJ, Kwak YS, Jang YP, Kang JS (2017) Blue light effect on retinal pigment epithelial cells by display devices. Integr Biol (Camb) 9:436–443

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mosmann T (1983) Rapid colorimetric assay for cellular growth and survival: application to proliferation and cytotoxicity assays. J Immunol Methods 65:55–63

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nita M, Grzybowski A (2016) The role of the reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in the pathomechanism of the age-related ocular diseases and other pathologies of the anterior and posterior eye segments in adults. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016:3164734

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Parish CA, Hashimoto M, Nakanishi K, Dillon J, Sparrow J (1998) Isolation and one-step preparation of A2E and iso-A2E, fluorophores from human retinal pigment epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:14609–14613

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Porte Alcon S, Gorojod RM, Kotler ML (2018) Regulated necrosis orchestrates microglial cell death in manganese-induced toxicity. Neuroscience 393:206–225

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson KM, Janes MS, Beckman JS (2008) The selective detection of mitochondrial superoxide by live cell imaging. Nat Protoc 3:941–947

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roehlecke C, Schaller A, Knels L, Funk RH (2009) The influence of sublethal blue light exposure on human RPE cells. Mol Vis 15:1929–1938

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shutt TE, McBride HM (2013) Staying cool in difficult times: mitochondrial dynamics, quality control and the stress response. Biochim Biophys Acta 1833:417–424

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow JR, Cai B (2001) Blue light-induced apoptosis of A2E-containing RPE: involvement of caspase-3 and protection by Bcl-2. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci 42:1356–1362

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow JR, Parish CA, Hashimoto M, Nakanishi K (1999) A2E, a lipofuscin fluorophore, in human retinal pigmented epithelial cells in culture. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci 40:2988–2995

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow JR, Zhou J, Ben-Shabat S, Vollmer H, Itagaki Y, Nakanishi K (2002) Involvement of oxidative mechanisms in blue-light-induced damage to A2E-laden RPE. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci 43:1222–1227

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow JR, Fishkin N, Zhou J, Cai B, Jang YP, Krane S, Itagaki Y, Nakanishi K (2003) A2E, a byproduct of the visual cycle. Vis Res 43:2983–2989

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stotland A, Gottlieb RA (2015) Mitochondrial quality control: easy come, easy go. Biochim Biophys Acta 1853:2802–2811

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Suen DF, Norris KL, Youle RJ (2008) Mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis. Genes Dev 22:1577–1590

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sui GY, Liu GC, Liu GY, Gao YY, Deng Y, Wang WY, Tong SH, Wang L (2013) Is sunlight exposure a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Ophthalmol 97:389–394

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Suter M, Remé C, Grimm C, Wenzel A, Jäättela M, Esser P, Kociok N, Leist M, Richter C (2000) Age-related macular degeneration. The lipofusion component N-retinyl-N-retinylidene ethanolamine detaches proapoptotic proteins from mitochondria and induces apoptosis in mammalian retinal pigment epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 275:39625–39630

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torriglia A, Jaadane I, Lebon C (2016) Mechanisms of cell death in neurodegenerative and retinal diseases: common pathway? Curr Opin Neurol 29:55–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tosini G, Ferguson I, Tsubota K (2016) Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology. Mol Vis 22:61–72

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Vives-Bauza C, Anand M, Shiraz AK, Magrane J, Gao J, Vollmer-Snarr HR, Manfredi G, Finnemann SC (2008) The age lipid A2E and mitochondrial dysfunction synergistically impair phagocytosis by retinal pigment epithelial cells. J Biol Chem 28:24770–24780

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wihlmark U, Wrigstad A, Roberg K, Nilsson SE, Brunk UT (1997) Lipofuscin accumulation in cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells causes enhanced sensitivity to blue light irradiation. Free Radic Biol Med 22:1229–1234

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler BS, Boulton ME, Gottsch JD, Sternberg P (1999) Oxidative damage and age-related macular degeneration. Mol Vis 5:32

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wojtala A, Bonora M, Malinska D, Pinton P, Duszynski J, Wieckowski MR (2014) Methods to monitor ROS production by fluorescence microscopy and fluorometry. Methods Enzymol 542:243–262

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf G (2003) Lipofuscin and macular degeneration. Nutr Rev 61:342–346

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wong WL, Su X, Li X, Cheung CM, Klein R, Cheng CY, Wong TY (2014) Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health 2:e106–e116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Gorman A, Zhou X, Sandra C, Chen E (2002) Involvement of caspase-3 in photoreceptor cell apoptosis induced by in vivo blue light exposure. Investig Ophthalmol Vis Sci 43:3349–3354

    Google Scholar 

  • Youle RJ, Karbowski M (2005) Mitochondrial fission in apoptosis. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 6:657–663

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang K, Li H, Song Z (2014) Membrane depolarization activates the mitochondrial protease OMA1 by stimulating self-cleavage. EMBO Rep 15:576–585

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET PIP 0771, PIP 0653) and University of Buenos Aires (UBACYT 20020130100212BA, 20020130200271BA and 20020170100755BA). J.M.B, R.M.G., S.P.A., J.H.M. are supported by a CONICET scholarship. A.A., G.G.L., A.B., H.E.G. and M.L.K. are researcher members at CONICET.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mónica Lidia Kotler.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alaimo, A., Liñares, G.G., Bujjamer, J.M. et al. Toxicity of blue led light and A2E is associated to mitochondrial dynamics impairment in ARPE-19 cells: implications for age-related macular degeneration. Arch Toxicol 93, 1401–1415 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-019-02409-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-019-02409-6

Keywords

Navigation