Instituto de Investigaciones Oftalmológicas Ramón Castroviejo, UCM, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Departamento de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORL, Facultad de Óptica y Optometría, UCM, 28037 Madrid, Spain.
Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Aug 22;20(17):4110. doi: 10.3390/ijms20174110.
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). An increase in the intraocular pressure is the principal risk factor for such loss, but controlling this pressure does not always prevent glaucomatous damage. Activation of immune cells resident in the retina (microglia) may contribute to RGC death. Thus, a substance with anti-inflammatory activity may protect against RGC degeneration. This study investigated the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of a hydrophilic saffron extract standardized to 3% crocin content in a mouse model of unilateral, laser-induced ocular hypertension (OHT). Treatment with saffron extract decreased microglion numbers and morphological signs of their activation, including soma size and process retraction, both in OHT and in contralateral eyes. Saffron extract treatment also partially reversed OHT-induced down-regulation of P2RY12. In addition, the extract prevented retinal ganglion cell death in OHT eyes. Oral administration of saffron extract was able to decrease the neuroinflammation associated with increased intraocular pressure, preventing retinal ganglion cell death. Our findings indicate that saffron extract may exert a protective effect in glaucomatous pathology.
青光眼是一种神经退行性疾病，其特征是视网膜神经节细胞（RGCs）的丧失。眼内压升高是导致这种损失的主要危险因素，但控制这种压力并不能总是防止青光眼损伤。驻留在视网膜中的免疫细胞（小胶质细胞）的激活可能导致 RGC 死亡。因此，具有抗炎活性的物质可能有助于防止 RGC 变性。本研究在单侧激光诱导的高眼压（OHT）小鼠模型中，研究了一种亲水性藏红花提取物的神经保护和抗炎作用，该提取物的含量标准化为 3%的藏花素。藏红花提取物治疗可减少小胶质细胞数量和其激活的形态学迹象，包括 OHT 和对侧眼中的体大小和突起回缩。藏红花提取物治疗还部分逆转了 OHT 诱导的 P2RY12 下调。此外，提取物可防止 OHT 眼的视网膜神经节细胞死亡。藏红花提取物的口服给药能够降低与眼压升高相关的神经炎症，防止视网膜神经节细胞死亡。我们的研究结果表明，藏红花提取物可能在青光眼病理中发挥保护作用。
