Lin Meng-Wei, Lin Cheng-Han, Chiu Wei-Hong, Chang Hui-Fang, Cheang Wai-Man, Chang Chien-Chun, Wu Vivian C H, Lin Chih-Sheng, Kuo Chiu-Mei
Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA; Produce Safety and Microbiology Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Albany, California, USA.
Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
Food Res Int. 2025 Nov;219:116978. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.116978. Epub 2025 Jul 1.
Microalgae and their rich nutrient content are increasingly recognized as a sustainable food source. Microalgal macular pigment (MP), composed of zeaxanthin and lutein, is densely concentrated in the retinal macula of eyes and is frequently utilized in eye health maintenance. However, as a sustainable food ingredient, the food safety and functionality of MP need further investigated. There is a lack of scientific studies exploring the protective mechanisms of microalgal MP on diabetic vascular lesions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MP isolated from Chlorella sp. AT1 in reducing diabetic retinopathy damage in both in vitro and in vivo systems. The microalgal extract is rich MP, with zeaxanthin and lutein in a ratio 1:5. Blue light (BL) irradiation and hyperglycemia increased reactive oxygen species production, and elevated inflammatory factors, including COX-2, NF-κB, and the proteins associated with mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in adult retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). However, MP administration significantly mitigated the adverse effects caused by BL exposure and hyperglycemia. In vivo, MP supplementation significantly reduced inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6), inflammation-related proteins (iNOS, COX-2, and NF-κB), MAPK pathway proteins, and adhesion factors (ICAM and VCAM) induced by BL irradiation in retinal tissues of diabetic mice. Microalge MP improves inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in diabetic retinopathy under BL irradiation. These findings demonstrate that MP from Chlorella sp. AT1 is a promising sustainable food pigment with protective properties against diabetic vascular disease.
微藻及其丰富的营养成分日益被视为一种可持续的食物来源。由玉米黄质和叶黄素组成的微藻黄斑色素（MP）大量集中在眼睛的视网膜黄斑中，并经常用于维持眼部健康。然而，作为一种可持续的食品成分，MP的食品安全和功能需要进一步研究。目前缺乏科学研究探索微藻MP对糖尿病血管病变的保护机制。本研究旨在探讨从绿藻AT1中分离出的MP在体外和体内系统中对糖尿病视网膜病变损伤的影响。该微藻提取物富含MP，其中玉米黄质和叶黄素的比例为1:5。蓝光（BL）照射和高血糖会增加活性氧的产生，并升高炎症因子，包括环氧合酶-2（COX-2）、核因子κB（NF-κB）以及与丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）信号通路相关的蛋白质，在成人视网膜色素上皮细胞（ARPE-19）和人脐静脉内皮细胞（HUVEC）中均是如此。然而，给予MP可显著减轻BL暴露和高血糖所造成的不良影响。在体内，补充MP可显著降低糖尿病小鼠视网膜组织中由BL照射诱导的炎性细胞因子（肿瘤坏死因子-α和白细胞介素-6）、炎症相关蛋白（诱导型一氧化氮合酶、COX-2和NF-κB）、MAPK通路蛋白以及黏附因子（细胞间黏附分子和血管细胞黏附分子）。微藻MP可改善BL照射下糖尿病视网膜病变中的炎症反应和氧化应激。这些发现表明，来自绿藻AT1的MP是一种有前景的可持续食用色素，具有预防糖尿病血管疾病的特性。
