PURPOSE: @entity6973 accumulates with age and in association with various @entity989 . To investigate cellular effects of @entity6973 components in an in vitro RPE cell model, specific loading of the lysosomal compartment is required. Herein a major lipofuscin fluorophor was complexed to LDL and the subsequent subcellular localization of the @entity554 was examined. METHODS: The lipofuscin component @entity68643 ( @entity68643 ) was synthesized and coupled to LDL. @entity1 RPE cell cultures were loaded with the @entity68643 /LDL complex over 4 weeks. Thereafter, RPE cells were harvested by trypsinization and disrupted by @entity1568 cavitation. After ultra-centrifugation, the postnuclear supernatant was fractionated on a self-generating gradient and fractions were analyzed by measuring marker enzyme activities of various cellular compartments. RESULTS: A2-Eaccumulated almost exclusively in the lysosomal compartment, as indicated by the identical peaks of the marker enzyme ss-hexosaminidase and the relative fluorescence of @entity68643 . Only a small amount of @entity68643 appeared to associate with the cell membrane, as shown by a minor peak of @entity68643 corresponding to the distribution of phosphodiesterase activity. The lysosomal marker enzyme was not present in the cytosolic fraction. CONCLUSIONS: The feeding of @entity68643 /LDL complexes to cultured RPE-cells proved to be highly effective in specific loading of the lysosomal compartment, providing a suitable in vitro cell culture model for RPE aging and the investigation of @entity68643 -effects on lysosomal functions in RPE cells. Such a model may contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of @entity179 of the outer retina associated with @entity12030 , including age-related @entity1020 , @entity6119 and @entity3987 .

[Introduction of the lipofuscin-fluorophor A2E into the lysosomal compartment of XXXX retinal pigment epithelial cells by coupling to LDL particles. An in vitro model of retinal pigment epithelium cell aging].

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Human'] @entity1568 :: ('MESH:D009584', 'Chemical') :: ['nitrogen'] @entity6973 :: ('MESH:D008062', 'Chemical') :: ['lipofuscin', 'Lipofuscin'] @entity12030 :: ('MESH:D009472', 'Disease') :: ['excessive lipofuscin accumulation'] @entity179 :: ('MESH:D019636', 'Disease') :: ['degenerative diseases'] @entity3987 :: ('MESH:D057826', 'Disease') :: ["Best's disease"] @entity989 :: ('MESH:D012164', 'Disease') :: ['retinal diseases'] @entity6119 :: ('MESH:C580470', 'Disease') :: ["Stargardt's disease"] @entity1020 :: ('MESH:D008268', 'Disease') :: ['macular degeneration'] @entity554 :: ('CHEBI:26537', 'Chemical') :: ['retinoid'] @entity68643 :: ('CHEBI:71980', 'Chemical') :: ['N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine', 'A2-E']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
