Lecithin-Bound Iodine Prevents Disruption of Tight Junctions of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells under Hypoxic Stress

Figure 1

Photomicrographs of ARPE-19 cells in culture immunostained for ZO-1, a TJ protein. The findings demonstrate that LBI protects TJs from disruption by hypoxia-induced stress. Immunofluorescence microscopic images showing the presence of ZO-1 (red) surrounding the ARPE-19 cells in culture. Exposure of the cells to CoCl₂ causes a disruption of the TJs ((a), (b) arrow head). When the CoCl₂-exposed ARPE-19 cells were pretreated with LBI, there were no significant differences in the ZO-1 pattern from that of the control ((c), (d)). The integrity of the TJs was also estimated using signal intensity measurements () (e). Although there was a significant decrease in the signal intensity after the addition of CoCl₂ compared to that of the controls, the difference was not significant when the cells were pretreated with LBI prior to the addition of CoCl₂. , nonrepeated ANOVA. LBI, lecithin-bound iodine; n.s, not significant; TJs, tight junctions; ZO-1, zonular occludin-1.

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