An in vitro model of oxidative stress and hypoxia in retinal pigmented epithelial cells

Retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) is an ocular tissue that performs a variety of functions including metabolism of photoreceptors. It constitutes an electrical and chemical barrier regulating the movement of solutes and ions between neural retina and the choriocapillary network. Reactive oxygen intermediate (ROI) generation has been implicated in the etiology of certain neurodegenerative diseases of the eye, which may be positively altered by treatment with antioxidant drugs. Cell viability under oxidative stress, hypoxia, and ischemic conditions in RPE were studied in vascular epithelium (VE) cells in culture to explore the possible role of vitamin C and N-acetyl-cysteine to prevent cell injury. The results of this study show that RPE cells may be protected against free radicals and products of peroxidation by endogenous scavengers by treatment with antioxidant drugs.