| First Author | Sheridan C | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Photochem Photobiol | Volume | 93 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 844-848 |
| PubMed ID | 28500718 | Mgi Jnum | J:250439 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6103657 | Doi | 10.1111/php.12738 |
| Citation | Sheridan C, et al. (2017) RPE65 and the Accumulation of Retinyl Esters in Mouse Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Photochem Photobiol 93(3):844-848 |
| abstractText | The RPE65 protein of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) enables the conversion of retinyl esters to the visual pigment chromophore 11-cis retinal. Fresh 11-cis retinal is generated from retinyl esters following photoisomerization of the visual pigment chromophore to all-trans during light detection. Large amounts of esters accumulate in Rpe65(-/-) mice, indicating their continuous formation when 11-cis retinal generation is blocked. We hypothesized that absence of light, by limiting the conversion of esters to 11-cis retinal, would also result in the build-up of retinyl esters in the RPE of wild-type mice. We used HPLC to quantify ester levels in organic extracts of the RPE from wild-type and Rpe65(-/-) mice. Retinyl ester levels in Sv/129 wild-type mice that were dark adapted for various intervals over a 4-week period were similar to those in mice raised in cyclic light. In C57BL/6 mice however, which contain less Rpe65 protein, dark adaptation was accompanied by an increase in ester levels compared to cyclic light controls. Retinyl ester levels were much higher in Rpe65(-/-) mice compared to wild type and kept increasing with age. The results suggest that the RPE65 role in retinyl ester homeostasis extends beyond enabling the formation of 11-cis retinal. |
