BPB Reports

Paper Details

BPB Reports
Vol. 6 No. 3 p.87-97 2023
Regular Article
Blueberry Stem Extract Suppresses Blue Light-Emitting Diode Light-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress on Retinal Photoreceptor Cells
  • Kenjirou Ogawa (Institute for Tenure Track promotion, University of Miyazaki / ogawa.kenjirou.u2@cc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp)
Kenjirou Ogawa 1) , Takara Karitani 2) , Wataru Otsu 3) , Kazuo Nishiyama 2) , Hisato Kunitake 2) , Yo Goto 4) , Shota Nomiyama 4) , Hideaki Hara 5) , Masao Yamasaki 2)
1) Institute for Tenure Track promotion, University of Miyazaki , 2) Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki , 3) Department of Biomedical Research Laboratory, Gifu Pharmaceutical University , 4) Biolabo Co., Ltd. , 5) Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University
Received: March 16, 2023;   Accepted: April 20, 2023;   Released: May 26, 2023
Keywords: blueberry stem, blue light, endoplasmic reticulum stress, photoreceptor
Abstracts

Background: Blue light causes retinal photoreceptor damage via oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. A previous study showed that blueberry stem extract (BStEx) and its active components have cytoprotective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress. This study demonstrated the inhibitory effect of BStEx against blue light-induced ER stress in photoreceptor cells. Methods: The photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or the antioxidant N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a positive control were used and then exposed to blue light. The cytoprotective effects of BStEx and NAC were evaluated using CCK-8. The ER stress-related protein expression changes over time, and its levels were measured after each exposure time to blue light in photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or NAC. Results: BStEx and NAC showed protective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor morphological abnormalities and cell damage. Although blue light triggered ER stress factors such as BiP, PERK, ATF6, eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, which in turn stimulated cell cycle arrest factors p53 and p21 and upregulation of apoptosis-inducing factors caspase-3. However, BStEx suppressed the increase in expression of BiP, ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, p53, p21, and caspase-3, but not mitochondrial apoptotic factors Bax and cytochrome c. Furthermore, the antioxidant NAC showed similar suppressive effects on BStEx. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that blue light-induced ER stress is primarily caused by oxidative stress, and BStEx might suppress ER stress via an antioxidant effect. The antioxidant NAC contributes to the cell proliferative capacity and suppression of apoptosis in photoreceptor cells.