Carteolol Hydrochloride Suppresses the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Rescues Cell Death After Ultraviolet Irradiation of Cultured Lens Epithelial Cells

Anti-oxidant activities of adrenergic β-blockers are proposed in various organs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of carteolol hydrochloride, an adrenergic β-blocker, on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the viable cell number after ultraviolet irradiation of cultured lens epithelial cells (LECs).

Cultured LECs were exposed to 0, 10^–5, 10^–4, and 10^–3 M carteolol hydrochloride for 30 min followed by ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation at intensity of 100, 200, or 400 mJ/cm². The amount of ROS in the LECs was measured using dichlorodihydrofluorescein at 30 min after exposure to UVB. In addition, the number of living LECs was counted at 15 h after exposure to UVB.

Exposure to 10^–3 M carteolol hydrochloride significantly decreased the amount of ROS after exposure to UVB at intensities of 100, 200, and 400 mJ/cm². In addition, 10^–3 M carteolol hydrochloride significantly increased the viable cell number after exposure to UVB at 400 mJ/cm². However, 10^–4 and 10^–5M carteolol hydrochloride had no significant effect on ROS or the viable cell number in LECs.

Carteolol hydrochloride protects LECs against UVB irradiation by inhibiting the intracellular production of ROS.