The Role and Mechanism of Nicotinamide Riboside in Oxidative Damage and a Fibrosis Model of Trabecular Meshwork Cells.

PURPOSE

To investigate the potential effects and mechanism of nicotinamide riboside (NR) on the oxidative stress and fibrosis model of human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cell line cells.

METHODS

HTM cells were pretreated with NR, followed by the induction of oxidative injury and fibrosis by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and TGF-β2, respectively. Cell viability was tested using Hoechst staining and MTT assays, cell proliferation was assessed by EdU assay, and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and western blotting. DCFH-DA and DHE probes were used to measure the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and MitoTracker staining was used to measure the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Fibrotic responses, including cell migration and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, were detected via Transwell assays, qRT-PCR, and immunoblotting.

RESULTS

NR pretreatment improved the viability, proliferation, and MMP of H2O2-treated HTM cells. Compared to cells treated solely with H2O2, HTM cells treated with both NR and H2O2, exhibited a reduced rate of apoptosis and generation of ROS. Compared with H2O2 pretreatment, NR pretreatment upregulated expression of the JAK2/Stat3 pathway but inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway expression. Moreover, 10-ng/mL TGF-β2 promoted cell proliferation and migration, which were inhibited by NR pretreatment. Both qRT-PCR and immunoblotting showed that NR inhibited the expression of fibronectin in a TGF-β2-induced fibrosis model.

CONCLUSIONS

NR has a protective effect on oxidative stress and fibrosis in HTM cells, which may be related to the JAK2/Stat3 pathway and MAPK pathway.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE

Our research provides the ongoing data for potential therapy of NAD+ precursors in glaucoma.