Zinc Protects Oxidative Stress-Induced RPE Death by Reducing Mitochondrial Damage and Preventing Lysosome Rupture

Figure 6

Changes in oxPOS phagocytosis in zinc-depleted RPE. The following zinc was depleted in RPE for 48 h; the cells were exposed to FITC-conjugated oxPOS particles (RPE: oxPOS = 1:10) for 2 h. Cells were then washed, fixed, and processed for imaging under the confocal microscope. The phagocytosis function was quantified by measuring the fluorescent intensity of the phagocytosed particles per cell. (a) 1.5 μM zinc RPE cells + oxPOS-treated. (b) Control RPE cells + oxPOS-treated. (c) oxPOS + 15 μM zinc-supplemented RPE cells. Arrows show phagocytosed oxPOS particles in cells. Cell nuclei are stained with DAPI (blue), actin with phalloidin (red), and oxPOS particles conjugated with FITC (green). (d) Histogram showing fluorescence intensity of the phagocytosed oxPOS particles in the different groups, and . Data analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison test. 30 cells were counted for each well.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)