{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T16:01:49Z","timestamp":1773763309219,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO Press)","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Int J Ophthalmol"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>AIM: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major green tea catechin with potent antioxidant properties, in an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP).\nMETHODS: C57BL\/6 mice were randomly divided into control (PBS), MNU-induced RP, and MNU+EGCG pretreatment groups. EGCG (50 mg\/kg, intraperitoneal) was administered daily for 3 consecutive days prior to a single MNU injection (50 mg\/kg). Retinal function was evaluated by scotopic electroretinography (ERG). Retinal structure was assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and hematoxylin-eosin staining, with outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness measurement. Mechanisms were explored via RNA sequencing, reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) validation of oxidative stress- and inflammation-related genes, and immunohistochemistry for microglial activation, astrocytic gliosis, and apoptosis markers.\nRESULTS: Compared with the MNU group, EGCG pretreatment significantly preserved scotopic ERG a-wave and b-wave amplitudes (P&lt;0.001). OCT and histological analysis showed that EGCG markedly attenuated MNU-induced thinning of total retina and ONL (P&lt;0.005, P&lt;0.001, respectively). RNA sequencing identified 1147 differentially expressed genes modulated by EGCG, with significant upregulation of antioxidant genes (Nrf2, Sod1, Gpx4, Cat1, Ho-1) and downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that EGCG significantly reduced microglial activation, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, and cleaved caspase-3-positive cells (P&lt;0.01 to P&lt;0.001).\nCONCLUSION: EGCG exerts robust neuroprotective effects in MNU-induced RP through enhancement of antioxidant defenses, suppression of neuroinflammation, and preservation of retinal structure and function. These findings suggest EGCG as a promising candidate for adjuvant antioxidant therapy in RP.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.18240\/ijo.2026.04.03","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T14:09:00Z","timestamp":1773756540000},"page":"655-664","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Epigallocatechin gallate in N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced retinitis pigmentosa mouse model"],"prefix":"10.18240","volume":"19","author":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Xiao-Qing","family":"Cai","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zhou-Fan","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Institute of Life Sciences, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu Province, China","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jing","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ting-Ting","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ai-Na","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"7543","container-title":["International Journal of Ophthalmology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ijo.cn\/gjyken\/article\/pdf\/20260403","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T14:09:01Z","timestamp":1773756541000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ijo.cn\/gjyken\/article\/abstract\/20260403"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.18240\/ijo.2026.04.03","relation":{},"ISSN":["2222-3959","2227-4898"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2222-3959","type":"print"},{"value":"2227-4898","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]]}}}