C-Phycocyanin Modulates Selenite-Induced Cataractogenesis in Rats

Abstract

The present investigation is aimed to evaluate the anticataractogenic potential of C-phycocyanin (C-PC), extracted and purified from Spirulina platensis. Enucleated rat lenses were maintained in vitro in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM). Group I contained DMEM, Group II and Group III contained 100 μM of sodium selenite, Group III was subdivided into three viz IIIa, IIIb, IIIc supplemented with 100, 150, 200 μg of C-PC respectively. In the in vivo study, on tenth day post partum: Group I rat pups received an intraperitoneal injection of saline, Group II, IIIa, IIIb, and IIIc rat pups received a subcutaneous injection of sodium selenite (19 μmol/kg bodyweight) Group IIIa, IIIb, IIIc also received an intraperitoneal injection of 100, 150, 200 mg/kg body weight of C-PC, respectively, from postpartum days 9-14. On termination of the experiment, the lenses from both in vitro and in vivo studies were subjected to morphological examination and subsequently processed to estimate the activities of antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, levels of reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation products. Sodium selenite-exposed, C-PC-treated rat lenses (Group IIIc), showed significant restoration of antioxidant enzyme activity (p < 0.05) when compared to their counterpart Group II. Group IIIc conserved the levels of GSH and lipid peroxidation products at near to normal levels as compared with Group II. Results conclude the possible role of C-PC in modulating the antioxidant enzyme status, thereby retarding sodium selenite-induced cataract incidence both in vitro and in vivo.

Medical Application of Spirulina platensis Derived C‐Phycocyanin

“…Age related cataract is the leading cause of blindness associated with the accumulation of oxidative stress in the eye lens. A study on the regulatory effect of C-PC on sodium selenite-induced cataract in rats revealed that C-PC can adjust the in vivo and in vitro antioxidant enzyme levels, thereby reducing oxidative stress and the incidence of sodium selenite-induced cataract [ 129 ]. Another scholar observed secondary changes in electrolyte levels, mean activities of antioxidant enzymes (i.e., SOD, CAT), and reduced glutathione during sodium selenite-mediated cataractogenesis in rats; this scholar also found that the deleterious effects of sodium selenite toxicity can be restored by simultaneous treatment with C-PC [ 130 ].…”

Biosynthesis of Fluorescent β Subunits of C-Phycocyanin from Spirulina subsalsa in Escherichia coli, and Their Antioxidant Properties

“…Spirulina is a genus of planktonic blue–green algae found in the alkaline water of volcanic lakes. Several in-vitro experiments have shown that Spirulina and its extracts, especially CPC, exhibit a variety of pharmacological effects, such as neuroprotective effects [ 12 ], hepatoprotective abilities [ 13 ], renoprotective effects [ 14 ], cardiovascular protective effects [ 15 ], and the elimination of cataracts [ 16 ], which is generally attributed to the antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties of CPC. Several studies have shown that the antioxidant activity is related to not only the bilin chromophore but also the apoprotein [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Protective Role of C-Phycocyanin Against Secondary Changes During Sodium Selenite Mediated Cataractogenesis

“…We have previously reported that effects of C-PC, a billiprotein pigment in the incidence of selenite-induced cataract both in vitro and in vivo [21]. It has been documented that C-PC evades oxidative stress and related cellular damages by scavenging the free radicals and chelating metal ions [41].…”

“…C-PC was extracted by standard method as described in our previous publication [21]. All the chemicals used in the experiment were of analytical grade (HIMEDIA, Mumbai, India).…”

“…C-PC has been reported to possess anti-oxidant [16], neuroprotective [17], anti-inflammatory [18], hepatoprotective [19], anti-arthritic properties [20]. In our previous study, we revealed that C-PC isolated from S. platensis is capable of preventing the incidence of selenite induced cataractogenesis by in vitro morphological analysis and anti-oxidant enzyme modulation [21]. In this study we aim to determine the potentiality of C-PC to protect against the secondary in vivo changes imposed during selenite cataracteous conditions and to define the protective efficacy of C-PC on organs histology and serum parameters related to senile cataractogenesis.…”