Agmatine protects cultured retinal ganglion cells from tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis.

AIMS We investigated the protective effects of agmatine against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced apoptosis in transformed rat retinal ganglion cells (RGC-5 cell line). MAIN METHODS The RGC-5 cells were exposed to 50 ng/mL TNF-alpha for 48 h with or without presence of 100 microM agmatine as indicated. Cell viability was determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay. Double staining with Hoechst 33342 and propidium iodide for morphological analysis was performed. Subsequently, using annexin V assay, the proportion of cells actively undergoing apoptosis was determined. KEY FINDINGS After 48 h of exposure to 50 ng/mL TNF-alpha, 17.00% of RGC-5 cells were lost, as evident by LDH assay. TNF-alpha-induced RGC-5 cell death was reduced to 8.14% with 100 microM agmatine treatment. This observed cell loss was due to apoptotic cell death, as established by annexin V assay. SIGNIFICANCE Our results reveal that agmatine has neuroprotective effects against TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in retinal ganglion cells in vitro.