Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Products, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Chin Med. 2011 Oct 31;6(1):38. doi: 10.1186/1749-8546-6-38.
Lutein is an important eye-protective nutrient. This study investigates the protective effects and mechanisms of lutein on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced uveitis in mice.
Lutein, suspended in drinking water at a final concentration of 12.5 and 25 mg/mL, was administered to mice at 0.1 mL/10 g body weight for five consecutive days. Control and model group received drinking water only. Uveitis was induced by injecting LPS (100 mg per mouse) into the footpad in the model and lutein groups on day 5 after the last drug administration. Eyes of the mice were collected 24 hours after the LPS injection for the detection of indicators using commercial kits and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
LPS-induced uveitis was confirmed by significant pathological damage and increased the nitric oxide level in eye tissue of BALB/C mice 24 hours after the footpad injection. The elevated nitric oxide level was significantly reduced by oral administration of lutein (125 and 500 mg/kg/d for five days) before LPS injection. Moreover, lutein decreased the malondialdehyde content, increased the oxygen radical absorbance capacity level, glutathione, the vitamin C contents and total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. Lutein further increased expressions of copper-zinc SOD, manganese SOD and GPx mRNA. Conclusion The antioxidant properties of lutein contribute to the protection against LPS-induced uveitis, partially through the intervention of inflammation process.
叶黄素是一种重要的护眼营养素。本研究旨在探讨叶黄素对脂多糖（LPS）诱导的小鼠葡萄膜炎的保护作用及其机制。
将叶黄素混悬于饮用水中，终浓度分别为 12.5 和 25mg/mL，以 0.1mL/10g 体重的剂量连续 5 天灌胃给药。对照组和模型组仅给予饮用水。在末次给药后第 5 天，于模型组和叶黄素组小鼠足底注射 LPS（100mg/只）诱导葡萄膜炎。在 LPS 注射后 24 小时收集小鼠眼球，采用商业试剂盒和逆转录-聚合酶链反应检测各项指标。
LPS 诱导的葡萄膜炎导致 BALB/C 小鼠眼组织病理损伤明显，一氧化氮水平升高，24 小时后可观察到明显的炎症反应。在 LPS 注射前连续 5 天给予叶黄素（125 和 500mg/kg/d）可显著降低升高的一氧化氮水平。此外，叶黄素还降低了丙二醛含量，增加了氧自由基吸收能力、谷胱甘肽、维生素 C 含量以及总超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GPx）的活性。叶黄素还进一步增加了铜锌 SOD、锰 SOD 和 GPx mRNA 的表达。
叶黄素的抗氧化特性有助于预防 LPS 诱导的葡萄膜炎，部分机制可能与炎症过程的干预有关。
