Abstract
Arachidonic acid (AA) is the precursor molecule of a variety of cellular lipid mediators that interact with retinal physiology. In this study, we investigated the time- and illuminance-dependence of the release of AA in the rat retina in vitro in control and lithium-pretreated rats. We also studied the effects of the specific phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor quinacrine and the specific PLA2 stimulator mellitin on the release of AA. Isolated rat retinas were labelled with 3H-AA for 90 min in vitro in darkness and the incorporation of AA into retinal phospholipids was monitored by thin-layer chromatography. The release of 3H-AA in the incubation medium was determined under different illuminance and timing conditions, with the addition of quinacrine and mellitin, and after pretreatment of the animals with lithium. Light exposure of the prelabelled isolated retinas evoked up to a two-fold increase in AA release compared with retinas incubated for the same time in darkness. The AA release was dependent on illuminance time (10000 1x white fluorescent light for 0.25, 2, 5 and 10 min) and illuminance level (0, 100, 1000, 5000, and 10 000 1x for 10 min). Complete rhodopsin bleaching occurred after 2 min at 10 000 1x. Quinacrine significantly suppressed the light-elicited AA release whereas mellitin increased the release of AA in dark-adapted and light-exposed retinas. Lithium pretreatment, which is known to potentiate light-evoked rod outer segment disruptions, significantly augmented the light-evoked AA release. Our results confirm a light-stimulated release of AA in the retina. The effects of quinacrine and mellitin suggest that this release may be mediated via the activation of PLA2. Our observation of a time-and illuminance-dependence of AA release may indicate a finely tuned regulation of PLA2 stimulation. Furthermore, PLA2 activation may contribute to the pathogenesis of retinal light damage. By releasing AA, the stimulation of PLA2 may provide the precursor molecule for potent lipid mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes that might contribute to the light-elicited ROS disruptions observed in our experimental model.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdel-Latif AA (1991) Review: release and effects of prostaglandins in ocular tissues. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 44:71–82
Avissar S, Schreiber G, Danon A, Belmaker RH (1988) Lithium inhibits adrenergic and cholinergic increases in GTP binding in rat cerebral cortex. Nature 331:440–442
Axelrod J, Burch RM, Jelsema CL (1988) Receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase A2 via GTP-binding proteins: arachidonic acid and its metabolites as second messenger. Trends Neurol Sci 11:117–123
Bazan NG, Toledo de Abreu M, Bazan HE, Belfort R (1990) Arachidonic acid cascade and platelet-activating factor in the network of eye inflammatory mediators: therapeutic implications in uveitis. Int Ophthalmol 14:335–344
Birkle DL, Bazan NG (1989) Light exposure stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism in intact rat retina and isolated rod outer segments. Neurochem Res 14:185–190
Bond PA, Brooks BA, Judd A (1975) The distribution of lithium, sodium and magnesium in rat brain and plasma after various periods of administration of lithium in the diet. Br J Pharmacol 53:235–239
Braschler UF, Gautschi K, Remé CE, Munz K (1991) Lithium uptake in the rat retina is modulated by light: preloaded levels are light independent. Lithium 2:109–113
Carney PA, Seggie J, Vojtechovsky M, Parker J, Grof E, Grof P (1988) Bipolar patients taking lithium have increased dark adaptation threshold compared with control. Pharmacopsychiatry 21:117–120
Chan PH, Fishman RA, Schmidley JW, Chen SF (1984) Release of polyunsaturated fatty acids from phospholipids and alteration of brain membrane integrity by oxygen-derived free radicals. J Neurosci Res 12:595–605
Dennis EA (1987) Regulation of eicosanoid production: Role of phospholipases and inhibitors. Biotechnology 5:1294–1300
Dharma S, Bazan HEP, Peyman GA, El-din Atef MS (1991) Production of platelet-activating factor in photocoagulated retinas. Curr Eye Res 10:1031–1035
Doly M, Bonhomme B, Braquet P, Chabrier PE, Meyniel G (1987) Effects of platelet-activating factor on electrophysiology of isolated retinas and their inhibition by BN52021, a specific PAF-acether receptor antagonist. Immunopharmacology 13:189–194
Drummond AH (1988) Lithium affects G-protein receptor coupling. Nature 1331:388
Emrich HM, Zihl J, Raptis C, Wendl A (1990) Reduced dark-adaptation: an indication of lithium neuronal action in humans. Am J Psychiatry 147:629–631
Fliesler SJ, Anderson RE (1983) Chemistry and metabolism of lipids in the vertebrate retina. Progr Lipid Res 22:79–131
Fulton AB, Manning KA, Baker BN, Schukar SE, Bailey CJ (1982) Dark-adapted sensitivity, rhodopsin content, and backgrund adaptation in pcd/pcd mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 22:386–393
Ghalayini AJ, Anderson RE (1984) Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate: light-mediated breakdown in the vertebrate retina. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 124:503–506
Ghalayini AJ, Anderson RE (1992) Activation of bovine rod outer segment phospholipase C by arrestin. J Biol Chem 267:17977–17982
Goureau O, Lepoivre M, Courtois Y (1992) Lipopolysaccharide and cytokines induce a macrophage-type of nitric oxide synthease in bovine retinal pigmented epithelial cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 186:854–859
Hoppeler T, Hendrickson P, Dietrich C, Remé CE (1988) Morphology and time course of defined photochemical lesions in the rabbit retina. Curr Eye Res 7:849–860
Irvine RF (1982) How is the level of free arachidonic acid controlled in mammalian cells? Biochem J 204:3–16
Jelsema CL, Axelrod J (1987) Stimulation of phospholipase A2 activity in bovine rod outer segments by the βγ subunits of transducin and its inhibition by the a subunit. J Biol Chem 262:163–168
Kagan VE, Kuliev IY, Spirichev VB, Shvedova AA, Kozlov YP (1981) Accumulation of lipid peroxidation products and depression of retinal electrical activity in vitamin E-deficient rats exposed to high-intensity light. Bull Exp Biol Med. 91:144–148
Kalasapudi VD, Sheftel G, Divish MM, Papolos DF, Lachmann HM (1990) Lithium augments fos protooncogene expression in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells: implications for therapeutic action of lithium. Brain Res 521:47–54
Kremers JJM, van Norren D (1988) Two classes of photochemical damage of the retina. Lasers Light Ophthalmol 2:41–52
Kuijk FJGM van, Sevanian A, Handelman GJ, Dratz EA (1987) A new role for phospholipase A2: Protection of membranes from lipid peroxidation damage. Trends Biol Sci 12:31–34
Kulkarni PS (1991) Arachidonic acid metabolism in human and bovine retina. J Ocul Pharmacol 7:135–139
LaVail MM, Unoki K, Yasamura D, Matthes MT, Yancopoulos GD, Steinberg R (1992) Multiple growth factors, cytokines, and neutrophins rescue photoreceptors from the damaging effects of constant light. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89:11249–11253
McNaughton PA (1990) Light response of the vertebrate photoreceptor. Physiol Rev 70:847–883
Millar FA, Fisher SC, Muir CA, Edwards E, Hawthorne JN (1988) Polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in response to light stimulation of rat and chick retina and retinal rod outer segments. Biochim Biophys Acta 970:205–211
Noell WK (1980) There are different kinds of retinal light damage in the rat. In: Williams TP, Baker BN (eds) The effects of constant light on visual processes. Plenum Press, New York, pp 357–387
O'Steen, WK and Karcioglu ZA (1974) Phagocytosis in the light-damaged albino rat eye: light and electron microscope study. Am J Anat 139:503–518
Pfeilschifter J, Remé CE, Dietrich C (1988) Light-induced phosphoinositide degradation and light-induced structural alterations in the rat retina are enhanced after chronic lithium treatment. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 156:1111–1119
Piomelli D, Greengard P (1990) Lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid in neuronal transmembrane signalling. Trends Pharmacol Sci 11:367–373
Rapp LM, Williams T (1988) A parametric study of retinal light damage in albino and pigmented rats. In: Williams TP, Baker BN (eds) The effects of constant light on visual processes. Plenum Press, New York, pp 135–159
Remé CE, Federspiel-Eisenring E, Hoppeler T, Pfeilschifter J, Dietrich C (1988) Chronic lithium damages the rat retina, acute light exposure potentiates the effect. Clin Vision Sci 3:157–172
Remé CE, Braschler UF, Roberts JE, Dillon J (1991) Light damage in the rat retina: Effect of a radioprotective agent (WR 77913) on acute rod outer segment disk disruptions. Photochem Photobiol 54:137–142
Remé CE, Wirz-Justice A, Terman M (1991) The visual input stage of the mammalian circadian pacemaking system: I. is there a clock in the mammalian eye? J Biol Rhythms 6:5–29
Remé CE, Urner U, Huber C, Bush RA, Kopp H (1991) Lithium effects in the retina: experimental and clinical observations. In: Christen Y, Doly M, Droy-Lefaix M-T (eds) Rétinopathies et neurotransmission. Springer, Paris, pp 37–49
Remé CE, Wei Q, Munz K, Jung HH, Doly M, Droy-Lefaix M-T (1992) Light and lithium effects in rat retina: modification by the PAF antagonist BN 52021. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 230:580–588
Samuelsson B (1991) Arachidonic acid metabolism: role in inflammation. Z Rheumatol 50:3–6
Sears ML (1984) Aphakic cystoid macular edema. The pharmacology of ocular trauma. Surv Ophthalmol 28:525–534
Sevanian A, Kim E (1985) Phospholipase A 2 dependent release of fatty acids from peroxidized membranes. J Free Rad Biol Med 1:263–271
Shimizu T, Wolfe LS (1990) Arachidonic acid cascade and signal transduction. J Neurochem 55:1–15
Siesjö BK, Agardh CD, Bengtsson F (1989) Free radicals and brain damage. Cerebrovasc Brain Metabol Rev 1:165–211
Sitaramayya A and Margulis A (1992) Effects of lithium on basal and modulated activities of the particulate and soluble guanylate cyclases in retinal rod outer segments. Biochemistry 31:10652–10656
Snyder F (1990) Platelet-activating factor and related acetylated lipids as potent biologically active cellular mediators. Am J Physiol 259:C697-C708
Terman M, Remé CE, Wirz-Justice A (1991) The visual input stage of the mammalian circadian pacemaking system: II. the effect of light and drugs on retinal function. J Biol Rhythms 6:31–48
Vestergaard P, Schou M (1981) Kidney morphology and function in lithium treated patients. Bibl Psychiatr 161:104–114
Weiner ED, Mallat AM, Papolos DF, Lachman HM (1992) Acute lithium treatment enhances neuropeptide Y gene expression in rat hippocampus. Mol Brain Res 12:209–214
Weltzien HU (1979) Cytolytic and membrane-perturbing properties of lysophosphatidylcholine. Biochim Biophys Acta 559:259–287
Wetzel MG, O'Brien PJ (1986) Turnover of palmitate, arachidonate and glycerol in phospholipids of rat rod outer segments. Exp Eye Res 43:941–954
Wiegand RD, Giusto NM, Rapp LM, Anderson RE (1983) Evidence for rod outer segment lipid peroxidation following constant illumination of the rat retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 24:1433–1435
Zimmerman WF, Keys S (1991) Effect of the antioxidants dithiothreitol and vitamin E on phospholipid metabolism in isolated rod outer segments. Exp Eye Res 52:607–612
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by the Wilhelm-Sander-Stiftung, München, Germany and the Swiss National Science Foundation (31.-30131.90)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jung, H., Remé, C. Light-evoked arachidonic acid release in the retina: illuminance/duration dependence and the effects of quinacrine, mellitin and lithium. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 232, 167–175 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176787
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176787