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Coumestrol inhibits inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress in retinal cells of diabetic retinopathy rats by SIRT1 Running title: CMS & SIRT1 on DR rats
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  • Weiying Sun ,
  • Chunzhi Li,
  • Hongcheng Gao,
  • Juan Miao
Weiying Sun
Linyi People's Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Chunzhi Li
Linyi People's Hospital
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Hongcheng Gao
Qingdao University
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Juan Miao
Linyi People's Hospital
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Abstract

Diabetes-induced oxidative stress is the key factor that initiates neuronal damage in the diabetic retina leading to diabetic retinopathy. This study was to investigate the possible effects of coumestrol (CMS) on inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress of retinal cells in streptozotocin-nicotinamide (STZ)-induced DR. Initially, a rat model of STZ was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and the expression of SIRT1 in retina tissues was determined by RT-qPCR. Next, the regulatory roles of CMS in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis of retinal cells were analyzed through detecting the expression of ROS, MDA, SOD, NO, iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP, apoptotic factors (Cyt-C and Caspase-3) after ARPE-19 cells were treated with CMS. Moreover, the relationship between CMS and SIRT1 was analyzed. SIRT1 was lowly expressed in retina tissues. CMS treatment suppressed expression of ROS, MDA, iNOS, NO, IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP, as well as expression of Cyt-C and Caspase-3, but induced SOD expression in retina cells. CMS activated the expression of SIRT1, thereby inhibited oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis of retinal cells induced by DR. Taken together, the present study defines that CMS ameliorated DR by inhibiting inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress of retinal cells through the activation of SIRT1.