Vitamin C protected human retinal pigmented epithelium from oxidant injury depending on regulating SIRT1.

The purpose was to investigate the protective effects of Vitamin C (Vit C) and the regulatory mechanism between Vit C and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in PREs during oxidative stress as Vit C and SIRT1 exerted famous effects as antioxidants. We found that moderate Vit C (100 µM) prevented ARPE-19 cells from damages induced by H2O2, including increasing viability, reducing apoptosis, and attenuating intracellular ROS levels. But lower and higher concentration of Vit C had no effects. Further results indicated that Vit C caused the dysregulation of some stress responses factors (SIRT1, p53 and FOXO3) in ARPE-19 cells response to H2O2. Moreover we found that SIRT1 activator resveratrol (SRV) stimulated significantly the protective effects of moderate Vit C, provided the property of antioxidative stress for the lower and higher concentration of Vit C in ARPE-19 cells as well. Consistently, nicotinamide (NA) relieved the protective functions of moderate Vit C. Interestingly, data also revealed the dysregulation of p53 and FOXO3 was dependent on the regulation of SIRT1 rather than Vit C. Summarily, the protective effect of Vit C against oxidative stress was involved in regulation of SIRT1. It suggested that combined application of Vit C and RSV might be a promising therapeutic method for AMD.