Effects of hydroquinone on retinal and vascular cells in vitro

Abstract

Aim:To explore the molecular pathophysiology that might explain the epidemiologic association between cigarette smoke and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by examining the effects of hydroquinone (HQ), a toxic compound present in high concentration in cigarette smoke-related tar, on human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19), rat retinal neurosensory cells (R-28), and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC).Materials and Methods:ARPE-19, R-28, and HMVEC were treated for 24 h with four different concentrations of HQ (500 μM, 200 μM, 100 μM, 50 μM). Cell viability, caspase-3/7 activation, DNA laddering patterns, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were analyzed.Results:At 50 μM HQ, R-28 cells showed a significant decrease in cell viability compared with the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-treated controls. At the 100–500 μM concentrations, all three cell lines showed significant cell death (P < 0.001). In the ARPE-19, R-28, and HMVEC cultures, the caspase-3/7 activities were not increased at any of the HQ concentration.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that the mechanism of cell death in all three cell lines was through non-apoptotic pathway. In addition, neuroretinal R-28 cells were more sensitive to HQ than the ARPE-19 and HMVEC cultures.

Resvega Alleviates Hydroquinone-Induced Oxidative Stress in ARPE-19 Cells

“…Cigarette smoke destroys the macular area by increasing oxidative stress and suppressing the antioxidative system [9]. Hydroquinone is one component in the cigarette smoke, which is known to induce oxidative stress and apoptosis, and compromise cell viability concentration-dependently in RPE cells [16,21,27,43]. Our results are in line with the observation that hydroquinone-induced cytotoxicity is concentration-dependent and increases oxidative stress in RPE cells [16][17][18].…”

“…From each cigarette, lungs are exposed to 100 µg of hydroquinone [21,52]. Hydroquinone is reported to absorb rapidly and extensively at least from trachea of animals, and it is widely distributed among tissues [53].…”

“…In addition, hydroquinone induces the formation of membrane blebs, which promotes the development of drusen and induces actin protein rearrangement to globular aggregates in RPE cells [18][19][20]. Smokers have increased hydroquinone plasma levels, and hydroquinone probably reaches RPE cells through circulation [21].…”

Statins decrease vascular epithelial growth factor expression via down-regulation of receptor for advanced glycation end-products

“…Cigarette smoke contains several pro-oxidant compounds among which HQ is the most abundant and important. HQ causes oxidative damage to RPE cells in vitro and in vivo , and it might play a key role in the pathogenesis of AMD [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. AGE, which are generated by non-enzymatic reactions between glucose and protein, called the Maillard reaction, are linked to several age-related conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, diabetic complications, and AMD [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ].…”

The metabolite receptor SUCNR1 in oxidative stress-induced age-related macular degeneration

“…Cigarette smoke contains multiple potential toxic substances, including many pro-oxidants. One of the pro-oxidants found in cigarette smoke is hydroquinone (HQ) 9 , and toxicity of HQ to retinal cells through oxidative, mitochondrial and autophagic pathways has been shown in previous in vitro studies [10][11][12] . Cumulative oxidative damage as a result of an imbalance between the antioxidant defence system and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has long been hypothesized to play a substantial role in RPE impairment and AMD progression [13][14][15][16] .…”