Broccoli-related compound a possible AMD treatment

Researchers at the US-based Buck Institute for Research on Aging began their inquiry by looking at indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a compound found in broccoli that is also being studied for cancer prevention.
It was said that I3C could help clear cells of environmental toxins by activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein. This, in turn, would upregulate pathways involved in chical detoxification.
“AhR, which declines with age, is important for detoxifying the retina,” a Buck Institute statent explained. “Previous studies show that AhR-deficient mice develop a condition which looks extrely similar to AMD.”
The researchers sought to boost AhR via broccoli’s I3C, but due to the fact that I3C was considered a “weak activator” of the protein, the team identified another compound, 2,2′-aminophenyl indole (2AI), that could bind to AhR with more strength as it was “10 times more potent than I3C”.
“2AI protected human retinal cells in culture from stress,” lead author of the research, Buck Institute Assistant Professor Arvind Ramanathan, PhD, stated. “And it also protected retinal cells in mice from light-mediated damage. We are very excited about the potential for 2AI and look forward to developing it further.”
Co-senior author, Buck Institute Assistant Professor Deepak Lamba, MBBS, PhD, added, “2AI prevented cell death in the retinas of mice that were exposed to light stress. Our next step is to study the functional outcomes of treatment with 2AI, something I am eager to do because environmental stress is the major contributor to age-related vision loss.”
The research, which was published in Scientific Reports in July, also highlighted the role of lipid metabolism in maintaining the health of the retina, reporting that palmitoleic acid had protective effects on retinal cells in culture and in mice.
IMAGES: 1. Arvind Ramanathan, Buck Institute assistant professor. 2. Dr Deepak Lamba, Buck Institute assistant professor