Life · 2 authors, 3 centres
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This in vitro study exposed retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells to high glucose to model diabetic retinopathy injury. The central result is that treatment with substance P (SP) helped recover RPE cell viability and barrier function by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
This in vitro study investigated the protective effects of substance P (SP) on RPE cells injured by high glucose (HG) to model diabetic retinopathy. RPE cells were treated with HG for 24 hours to induce dysfunction, characterized by decreased viability, reduced tight junction protein expression (ZO-1, E-cadherin), increased oxidative stress, and elevated expression of inflammatory (ICAM-1, MCP-1) and angiogenic (VEGF) factors. Subsequent SP treatment restored cell viability, enhanced tight junction protein expression, and improved antioxidant activity, possibly via activation of the Akt signaling pathway. Importantly, SP treatment also reduced the expression of ICAM-1, MCP-1, and VEGF. The study demonstrates that SP can rejuvenate HG-damaged RPE cells by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenic factors, suggesting its potential for treating diabetic retinopathy. Limitations include the in vitro nature of the study, with the authors recommending future testing in non-clinical animal models.
