Retinal phototoxicity and the evaluation of the blue light hazard of a new solid-state lighting technology

Exposure Limit Values (ELV) for artificial lighting were defined in order to prevent light-induced damage to the retina. The evaluation of the lighting devices include the correction of their spectra by the B(λ) function or blue light hazard function, representing the relative spectral sensitivity of the human eye to the blue light. This weighting function peaks between 435 and 440 nm. In this study we evaluate a new generation of light emitting diode (LED), the GaN-on-GaN (gallium nitride on gallium nitride) LED, that present an emission peak in the purple part of the spectrum. Wistar rats were exposed to GaN-on-GaN and conventional diodes at different retinal doses (from 2.2 to 0.5 J/cm2). We show that GaN-on-GaN diodes are more toxic than conventional LED for the rat neural retina and the rat retinal pigment epithelium, indicating that the BLH (blue light hazard) weighting is not adapted to this type of diodes. One of the reasons of this increased toxicity is the effects of shorter wavelengths on mitochondria polarization. We also show that the threshold of phototoxic retinal dose in the rat (fixed at 11 J/cm2, BLH weighted) is overestimated, suggesting that the values used for regulations, calculated in primates using the same methods than in rats, should be revised.

Effects of white light-emitting diode (LED) exposure on retinal pigment epithelium in vivo

Ageing and alteration of the functions of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are at the origin of lost of vision seen in age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). The RPE is known to be vulnerable to high‐energy blue light. The white light‐emitting diodes (LED) commercially available have relatively high content of blue light, a feature that suggest that they could be deleterious for this retinal cell layer. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of “white LED” exposure on RPE. For this, commercially available white LEDs were used for exposure experiments on Wistar rats. Immunohistochemical stain on RPE flat mount, transmission electron microscopy and Western blot were used to exam the RPE. LED‐induced RPE damage was evaluated by studying oxidative stress, stress response pathways and cell death pathways as well as the integrity of the outer blood–retinal barrier (BRB). We show that white LED light caused structural alterations leading to the disruption of the outer blood–retinal barrier. We observed an increase in oxidized molecules, disturbance of basal autophagy and cell death by necrosis. We conclude that white LEDs induced strong damages in rat RPE characterized by the breakdown of the BRB and the induction of necrotic cell death.

Light-induced retinal damage using different light sources, protocols and rat strains reveals LED phototoxicity

To save energy, the European directives from the Eco-design of Energy Using Products (2005/32/CE) have recommended the replacement of incandescent lamps by more economic devices such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). However, the emission spectrum of these devices is enriched in blue radiations, known to be potentially dangerous to the retina. Recent studies showed that light exposure contributes to the onset of early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Here, we investigate, in albinos and pigmented rats, the effects of different exposure protocols. Twenty-four hours exposure at high luminance was compared to a cyclic (dark/light) exposure at domestic levels for 1week and 1month, using different LEDs (Cold-white, blue and green), as well as fluorocompact bulbs and fluorescent tubes. The data suggest that the blue component of the white-LED may cause retinal toxicity at occupational domestic illuminance and not only in extreme experimental conditions, as previously reported. It is important to note that the current regulations and standards have been established on the basis of acute light exposure and do not take into account the effects of repeated exposure.

Retinal damage induced by commercial light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Spectra of "white LEDs" are characterized by an intense emission in the blue region of the visible spectrum, absent in daylight spectra. This blue component and the high intensity of emission are the main sources of concern about the health risks of LEDs with respect to their toxicity to the eye and the retina. The aim of our study was to elucidate the role of blue light from LEDs in retinal damage. Commercially available white LEDs and four different blue LEDs (507, 473, 467, and 449nm) were used for exposure experiments on Wistar rats. Immunohistochemical stain, transmission electron microscopy, and Western blot were used to exam the retinas. We evaluated LED-induced retinal cell damage by studying oxidative stress, stress response pathways, and the identification of cell death pathways. LED light caused a state of suffering of the retina with oxidative damage and retinal injury. We observed a loss of photoreceptors and the activation of caspase-independent apoptosis, necroptosis, and necrosis. A wavelength dependence of the effects was observed. Phototoxicity of LEDs on the retina is characterized by a strong damage of photoreceptors and by the induction of necrosis.

On the use of an appropriate TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay to identify apoptotic cells

Apoptosis is an essential cellular mechanism involved in many processes such as embryogenesis, metamorphosis, and tissue homeostasis. DNA fragmentation is one of the key markers of this form of cell death. DNA fragmentation is executed by endogenous endonucleases such as caspase-activated DNase (CAD) in caspase-dependent apoptosis. The TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling) technique is the most widely used method to identify apoptotic cells in a tissue or culture and to assess drug toxicity. It is based on the detection of 3'-OH termini that are labeled with dUTP by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Although the test is very reliable and sensitive in caspase-dependent apoptosis, it is completely useless when cell death is mediated by pathways involving DNA degradation that generates 3'-P ends as in the LEI/L-DNase II pathway. Here, we propose a modification in the TUNEL protocol consisting of a dephosphorylation step prior to the TUNEL labeling. This allows the detection of both types of DNA breaks induced during apoptosis caspase-dependent and independent pathways, avoiding underestimating the cell death induced by the treatment of interest.

The activation of the atypical PKC zeta in light-induced retinal degeneration and its involvement in L-DNase II control

Light-induced retinal degeneration is characterized by photoreceptor cell death. Many studies showed that photoreceptor demise is caspase-independent. In our laboratory we showed that leucocyte elastase inhibitor/LEI-derived DNase II (LEI/L-DNase II), a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway, is responsible for photoreceptor death. In this work, we investigated the activation of a pro-survival kinase, the protein kinase C (PKC) zeta. We show that light exposure induced PKC zeta activation. PKC zeta interacts with LEI/L-DNase II and controls its DNase activity by impairing its nuclear translocation. These results highlight the role of PKC zeta in retinal physiology and show that this kinase can control caspase-independent pathways.