Journal: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science

Article Title: Alpha-Asarone Ameliorates Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Modulating the P2X7/NLRP3 Inflammasome Axis

doi: 10.1167/iovs.67.12.30

Figure Lengend Snippet: ASA preserves retinal structural integrity and mitigates apoptosis in SI-induced dAMD rats. (A–D) Representative immunofluorescence images of RPE65 (A) and rhodopsin (B) , alongside their corresponding quantitative analyses of relative fluorescence intensity (C, D) . Scale bars : 100 µm. (E, G) Representative immunofluorescence images of the tight junction protein ZO-1 (E) and its quantitative analysis ( G ). Scale bar : 20 µm. (F, H) Representative TUNEL staining images (F) demonstrating apoptotic cells ( red ) primarily localized in the ONL, and the quantification of total TUNEL-positive cells per retinal section ( H ). Scale bar : 100 µm. For all micrographs, nuclei were counterstained with DAPI ( blue ). Data are presented as mean ± SD ( n = 6). ** P < 0.01 (one-way ANOVA).

Article Snippet: Retinal apoptosis was assessed using the TUNEL BrightRed Apoptosis Detection Kit (A113; Vazyme Biotech Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China) on paraffin sections of eyeballs.

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Fluorescence, Analysis, TUNEL Assay, Staining

Journal: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science

Article Title: Alpha-Asarone Ameliorates Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration by Modulating the P2X7/NLRP3 Inflammasome Axis

doi: 10.1167/iovs.67.12.30

Figure Lengend Snippet: Activating P2X7 abolishes the cytoprotective effects of ASA in SI-induced ARPE-19 cells. (A, B) CCK-8 assays evaluating the baseline cytotoxicity of ASA (0–50 µM) (A) and SI (0–15 mM) (B) in ARPE-19 cells after a 24-hour treatment ( n = 3). (C) Evaluation of cell viability after a 2-hour ASA pretreatment (0.25–4 µM) and a subsequent 24-hour exposure to 12.5 mM SI ( n = 5). (D) Reversal of ASA-mediated cytoprotection (2 µM) by co-treatment with the specific P2X7 agonist BzATP (50 µM) under SI conditions ( n = 6). (E, G) Representative flow cytometry plots (E) and quantitative analysis of apoptosis (G) ( n = 4). (F, H) Representative flow cytometry histograms (F) and quantitative analysis of Fluo-4 mean fluorescence intensity (H) to assess intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation ( n = 4). Data are presented as mean ± SD. ns, no significance, * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01; # P < 0.05, ## P < 0.01 for the indicated comparisons (one-way ANOVA).

Article Snippet: Retinal apoptosis was assessed using the TUNEL BrightRed Apoptosis Detection Kit (A113; Vazyme Biotech Co., Ltd., Nanjing, China) on paraffin sections of eyeballs.

Techniques: CCK-8 Assay, Flow Cytometry, Analysis, Fluorescence