Blueberry Stem Extract Suppresses Blue Light-Emitting Diode Light-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress on Retinal Photoreceptor Cells

Background: Blue light causes retinal photoreceptor damage via oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. A previous study showed that blueberry stem extract (BStEx) and its active components have cytoprotective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress. This study demonstrated the inhibitory effect of BStEx against blue light-induced ER stress in photoreceptor cells. Methods: The photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or the antioxidant N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a positive control were used and then exposed to blue light. The cytoprotective effects of BStEx and NAC were evaluated using CCK-8. The ER stress-related protein expression changes over time, and its levels were measured after each exposure time to blue light in photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or NAC. Results: BStEx and NAC showed protective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor morphological abnormalities and cell damage. Although blue light triggered ER stress factors such as BiP, PERK, ATF6, eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, which in turn stimulated cell cycle arrest factors p53 and p21 and upregulation of apoptosis-inducing factors caspase-3. However, BStEx suppressed the increase in expression of BiP, ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, p53, p21, and caspase-3, but not mitochondrial apoptotic factors Bax and cytochrome c. Furthermore, the antioxidant NAC showed similar suppressive effects on BStEx. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that blue light-induced ER stress is primarily caused by oxidative stress, and BStEx might suppress ER stress via an antioxidant effect. The antioxidant NAC contributes to the cell proliferative capacity and suppression of apoptosis in photoreceptor cells.