AIM: To investigate the effect of scutellarin on high glucose-induced human retina pigment epithelium(RPE)cells under high glucose.

METHODS: RPE cells were cultured and divided into control group(5.5mmol/L glucose), high glucose group(30mmol/L glucose), low concentration scutellarin group(30mmol/L glucose+1μmol/L scutellarin)and high concentration scutellarin group(30mmol/L glucose+10μmol/L scutellarin), cell scratch experiment observed RPE cells migration, cell survival rate were detected by CCK-8 colorimetry, flow cytometry was used to detect the level of ROS, Hoechst staining was used to observe the proportion of apoptotic cells, and Western blot was used to analyze the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax.

RESULTS: Cell scratch experiment results showed that RPE cells form in low concentration scutellarin group and high concentration scutellarin group were improved than that in high glucose group, cell mobility rate also increased; The CCK-8 results showed that RPE cells survival rate increased to 61.06%±5.59% and 79.81%±7.04% after treated with 1μmol/L and 10μmol/L scutellarin, the difference was statistically significant when compared with high glucose group(40.63%±4.72%, P<0.05); The H₂DCFDA fluorescent probe dying showed that scutellarin reduced ROS generation in RPE cells; Hoechst staining showed that the number of apoptosis RPE cells gradually decreased after treatment with 1μmol/L and 10μmol/L scutellarin; Western blot results showed that scutellarin enhanced the expression of Bcl-2 protein and reduced the expression of Bax protein.

CONCLUSION: Scutellarin could inhibit high glucose-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in human RPE cells, which provides theoretical support for the research on the therapeutic targets of diabetic retinopathy.