Leung Ivan Y-F, Sandstrom Marita M, Zucker Charles L, Neuringer Martha, Snodderly D Max
Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004 Sep;45(9):3244-56. doi: 10.1167/iovs.02-1233.
To study the effects of age and of n-3 fatty acids, lutein, and zeaxanthin on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
Rhesus monkeys (age range, 7-17 years; n = 18) were fed xanthophyll-free semipurified diets from birth. The diets had either low or adequate amounts of n-3 fatty acids. Six monkeys remained xanthophyll-free until death. Six received supplements of pure lutein and six of pure zeaxanthin for 6 to 24 months. The central retina was serially sectioned, and the number of RPE cells were counted in an 8-microm strip along the vertical meridian. Cell counts were compared with data from control monkeys (n = 15) fed a standard laboratory diet.
Foveal and parafoveal RPE cell densities increased with age. Xanthophyll-free monkeys had a dip in the RPE cell density profile at the foveal center, rather than the normal peak. After supplementation with xanthophylls, the RPE profile of animals low in n-3 fatty acids no longer had a dip at the foveal center but became asymmetric, with higher densities in the inferior retina. In animals with adequate n-3 fatty acid levels, xanthophyll supplementation did not restore the foveal peak, and resulted in an asymmetric profile with higher densities in the superior retina.
RPE cells are sensitive to the absence of macular pigment. Supplemental xanthophylls interact with n-3 fatty acid levels to produce asymmetries in the RPE profile. Xanthophylls and n-3 fatty acids are essential for the development and/or maintenance of a normal distribution of RPE cells.
研究年龄以及n-3脂肪酸、叶黄素和玉米黄质对视网膜色素上皮（RPE）的影响。
恒河猴（年龄范围7 - 17岁；n = 18）从出生起就喂食不含叶黄素的半纯化饮食。这些饮食中n-3脂肪酸含量低或充足。6只猴子一直保持不含叶黄素直至死亡。6只猴子接受了纯叶黄素补充剂，6只接受了纯玉米黄质补充剂，为期6至24个月。对中央视网膜进行连续切片，并在沿垂直子午线的8微米条带中计数RPE细胞数量。将细胞计数与喂食标准实验室饮食的对照猴子（n = 15）的数据进行比较。
中央凹和中央凹旁的RPE细胞密度随年龄增加。不含叶黄素的猴子在中央凹中心的RPE细胞密度分布出现下降，而非正常的峰值。补充叶黄素后，n-3脂肪酸含量低的动物的RPE分布在中央凹中心不再有下降，但变得不对称，视网膜下侧密度更高。在n-3脂肪酸水平充足的动物中，补充叶黄素并未恢复中央凹峰值，而是导致视网膜上侧密度更高的不对称分布。
RPE细胞对黄斑色素缺失敏感。补充叶黄素与n-3脂肪酸水平相互作用，导致RPE分布出现不对称。叶黄素和n-3脂肪酸对于RPE细胞正常分布的发育和/或维持至关重要。
