Gossypol acetic acid prevents oxidative stress-induced retinal pigment epithelial necrosis by regulating the FoxO3/Sestrin2 pathway

Jakub Hanus, Hongmei Zhang, David H. Chen, Qinbo Zhou, Peng Jin, Qinghua Liu, Shusheng Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

The late stage of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), or geographic atrophy (GA), is characterized by extensive retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell death, and a cure is not available currently. We have recently demonstrated that RPE cells die from necrosis in response to oxidative stress, providing a potential novel mechanism for RPE death in AMD. In this study, we screened U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved natural compounds and identified gossypol acetic acid (GAA) as a potent inhibitor of oxidative stress-induced RPE cell death. GAA induces antioxidative response and inhibits accumulation of excessive reactive oxygen species in cells, through which it prevents the activation of intrinsic necrotic pathway in response to oxidative stress. Sestrin2 (SESN2) is found to mediate GAA function in antioxidative response and RPE survival upon oxidative stress. Moreover, Forkhead box O3 transcription factor (FoxO3) is further found to be required for GAA-mediated SESN2 expression and RPE survival. Mechanistically, GAA promotes FoxO3 nuclear translocation and binding to the SESN2 enhancer, which in turn increases its transcriptional activity. Taken together, we have identified GAA as a potent inhibitor of oxidative stress-induced RPE necrosis by regulating the FoxO3/SESN2 pathway. This study may have significant implications in the therapeutics of age-related diseases, especially GA.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1952-1963
Number of pages12
JournalMolecular and cellular biology
Volume35
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Gossypol acetic acid prevents oxidative stress-induced retinal pigment epithelial necrosis by regulating the FoxO3/Sestrin2 pathway'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this