Advanced glycation end products delay corneal epithelial wound healing through reactive oxygen species generation

Mol Cell Biochem. 2013 Nov;383(1-2):253-9. doi: 10.1007/s11010-013-1773-9. Epub 2013 Aug 18.

Abstract

Delayed healing of corneal epithelial wounds is a serious complication in diabetes. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are intimately associated with the diabetic complications and are deleterious to the wound healing process. However, the effect of AGEs on corneal epithelial wound healing has not yet been evaluated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of AGE-modified bovine serum albumin (BSA) on corneal epithelial wound healing and its underlying mechanisms. Our data showed that AGE-BSA significantly increased the generation of intracellular ROS in telomerase-immortalized human corneal epithelial cells. However, the generation of intracellular ROS was completely inhibited by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), anti-receptor of AGEs (RAGE) antibodies, or the inhibitor of NADPH oxidase. Moreover, AGE-BSA increased NADPH oxidase activity and protein expression of NADPH oxidase subunits, p22phox and Nox4, but anti-RAGE antibodies eliminated these effects. Furthermore, prevention of intracellular ROS generation using NAC or anti-RAGE antibodies rescued AGE-BSA-delayed epithelial wound healing in porcine corneal organ culture. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that AGE-BSA impaired corneal epithelial wound healing ex vivo. AGE-BSA increased intracellular ROS generation through NADPH oxidase activation, which accounted for the delayed corneal epithelial wound healing. These results may provide better insights for understanding the mechanism of delayed healing of corneal epithelial wounds in diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcysteine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antibodies / pharmacology
  • Cattle
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects
  • Epithelial Cells / enzymology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelium, Corneal / drug effects
  • Epithelium, Corneal / metabolism*
  • Epithelium, Corneal / pathology*
  • Glycation End Products, Advanced / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Intracellular Space / drug effects
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism
  • NADPH Oxidases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products
  • Receptors, Immunologic / immunology
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / pharmacology*
  • Sus scrofa
  • Telomerase / metabolism
  • Wound Healing / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Glycation End Products, Advanced
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • advanced glycation end products-bovine serum albumin
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • Telomerase
  • Acetylcysteine