Wheat alkylresorcinols protect human retinal pigment epithelial cells against H2O2-induced oxidative damage through Akt-dependent Nrf2/HO-1 signaling

Abstract

The protective effect of wheat alkylresorcinols (ARs) on human retinal pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19) against oxidative stress and the possible underlying mechanism were investigated in this study. The results showed that ARs significantly inhibited 300 μM H₂O₂-induced ARPE-19 cell damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by 19% and 32%, respectively. Moreover, ARs treatment increased NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling activation, which was evidenced by increased transcription of anti-oxidant responsive genes GCL, NQO1 and HO-1. Knockdown of Nrf2 through targeted siRNA alleviated ARs-mediated HO-1 transcription, and almost abolished ARs-mediated cytoprotection against H₂O₂ induced cell damage. Further studies showed that the protective effect of ARs was dependent on Akt activation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that ARs could protect ARPE-19 cells from oxidative stress induced cell damage possibly through Akt dependent Nrf2/HO-1 signaling.