Involvement of oxidative mechanisms in blue-light-induced damage to A2E-laden RPE.

Abstract

The augmentation of cell death in the presence of D(2)O and the protection afforded by quenchers and scavengers of singlet oxygen, indicates that the generation of singlet oxygen may be involved in the mechanisms leading to the death of A2E-containing RPE cells after blue light illumination. The finding that irradiation also produces oxygen-dependent photochemical changes in A2E, indicates that the effects of singlet oxygen may be mediated either directly or through the generation of reactive photo-products of A2E.