Objective To measure the macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and investigate the effects of lutein supplementation on MPOD in patients with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods Forty-two early AMD eyes, which have been diagnosed by visual acuity, fundus photography and indirect ophthalmoscopy, and 42 fellow eyes were enrolled in this study. Lutein was administered in dose of 15.1 mg daily for one month. The MPOD value before and after lutein supplementation were measured by heterochromatic flicker photometry. The relationship between the MPOD value and lutein supplementation was analyzed.Results The MPOD value of AMD eyes and fellow eyes before lutein supplementation was 0.347plusmn;0.182 and 0.426plusmn;0.173 respectively, the difference was statistically significant (t=-2.042,P=0.044). The MPOD value of AMD eyes and fellow eyes after lutein supplementation was 0.406plusmn;0.155 and 0.446plusmn;0.128 respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (t=-1.283,P=0.203). For AMD eyes, there was an increasing trend of MPOD values after lutein supplementation, but no statistically significant differences (t=-1.594,P=0.115). Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between the changes of MPOD and initial MPOD in both AMD eyes (r=-0.552,P=0.000) and the fellow eyes (r=-0.731,P=0.000).Conclusions Early AMD eyes have less MPOD. Lutein supplementation may play a role in enhancing the MPOD in these eyes.
Objective To investigate the protective effect of recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) on the photoreceptor cells in rat with retinal detachment (RD).Methods One hundred and sixtytwo normal male rats were randomly divided into normal control (NC) group, RD model group, RD+phosphate buffer solution （RD+PBS） group, RD+EPO 100 ng group, RD+EPO 200 ng group and RD+EPO 400 ng group. Three days after RD, activated caspase3 and bclXL were detected by Western blot and/or immunofluorescence, and apoptosis were measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate digoxigenin nick-end labeling（TUNEL）. Fourteen and 28 days and two months after RD, the outer nuclear layer （ONL）thickness was measured by histopathologic method.Results Western bolt indicated that the protein level of activated caspase-3 and bcl-XL between six groups were statistically significant（F=35.96, 30.75；P＜0.01）. The number of TUNEL positive cells and activated caspase-3 positive cells are consistent with each other in different groups. Fourteen days and two months after RD，the differences of ONL thickness between six groups were statistically significant（F=21.52，96.25；P＜0.01）.Conclusion Supplement of EPO after RD can alleviate apoptosis by inhibiting of the caspase-3 activity and increasing the expression of bcl-XL,thus exerts protective effect on photoreceptor cells.