Imaging lutein and zeaxanthin in the human retina with confocal resonance Raman microscopy

Abstract

Lutein and zeaxanthin are xanthophyll carotenoids that are highly concentrated in the human macula, where they protect the eye from oxidative damage and improve visual performance. Distinguishing lutein from zeaxanthin in images of the human retina in vivo or in donor eye tissues has been challenging because no available technology has been able to reliably differentiate between these two carotenoids, which differ only in the position of one C = C bond. Here, we report the differential distributions of lutein and zeaxanthin in human donor retinas mapped with confocal resonance Raman microscopy. Zeaxanthin is highly concentrated in the fovea, extending from the inner to the outer limiting membranes, with especially high concentrations in the outer plexiform layer, while lutein is much more diffuse at relatively lower concentration. Our results imply that zeaxanthin may play a more important role than lutein in human macular health and disease.

Local Abundance of Macular Xanthophyll Pigment Is Associated with Rod- and Cone-Mediated Vision in Aging and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

“…1), 18,19 was recently replicated and extended with Raman resonance microscopy to show high zeaxanthin centrally. 20 The distribution includes cones, as originally described, 21 as well as rods and Müller glia outer trunks in the Henle fiber layer 22,23 and lateral glial extensions in the other layers. Xanthophyll concentration characteristically falls off sharply with distance from Xanthophyll pigment is concentrated at the foveal center, the Henle fiber, inner plexiform, and nerve fiber layers.…”

Visual Function and Macular Carotenoid Changes in Eyes with Retinal Drusen—An Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare a Micronized Lipid-Based Carotenoid Liquid Supplementation and AREDS-2 Formula

“…The macular pigment is composed of three carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin [1,2]. They are responsible for the fovea's yellow pigmentation and are densely concentrated within the axons of photoreceptors inner plexiform and outer plexiform layers at the center of the macula [1][2][3][4][5]. The two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, can only be acquired through dietary intake and cannot be synthesized within the body [2,6,7]; sources include vegetables, spinach, corn, and egg yolks [2,8].…”

“…Although some foods such as salmon skin, sardine skin, trout skin and trout flesh are known to have meso-zeaxanthin [9], the serum level of meso-zeaxanthin in healthy individuals is approximately 0.0003 µmol/L [10]. Unless individuals are artificially supplemented [10,11], meso-zeaxanthin in human eye is a byproduct of the conversion of lutein in retinal pigment epithelium [2,5,6,[12][13][14]. Macular carotenoids constitute the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and are associated with maintaining retinal health and optimal visual performance [2,3,8,15], suggesting the level of MPOD is an important biomarker in health and disease states.…”

Macular Pigment in Eyes With Macular Hole Formation and Its Change After Surgery

“…A previous histologic study in monkey eyes 1 showed that MP is present in the plexiform layers, and a recent study in human eyes showed that the MP was largely localized in the foveal OPL as well as in the IPL and outer nuclear layer. 25 The characteristics of the MP appearance in MHs are well explained by the concept that MP is mainly localized in the OPL. However, the present findings do not deny the localization of MP in other layers, such as the IPL.…”