{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]],"date-time":"2026-08-23T17:11:37Z","timestamp":1787505097323,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,27]],"date-time":"2023-11-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1701043200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"JSPS KAKENHI","award":["20K18389"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20K18389"]}]},{"name":"J&amp;J Surgical Vision (AMO)","award":["20K18389"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["20K18389"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Abnormal pigmentation or depigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a precursor to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). In this study, we evaluated the effects of hydroquinone (HQ), the most potent reductant in cigarette smoke, on the melanin production in RPE cells. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived RPE and adult retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells were cultured with HQ. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed that the expression of melanin-related genes decreased due to the addition of HQ for 1 day. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent immunoassay showed that the concentration of melanin significantly decreased due to the addition of HQ for 24 h. A suspension of RPE cells with HQ for 24 h was prepared, and the absorbance was measured. The absorbance decreased particularly under blue light, suggesting that blue light may reach the choroid and cause choroidal inflammation. Additionally, melanin levels significantly decreased due to the addition of HQ for 1 week. After blue light irradiation on the RPE with HQ for 1 week, the vascular endothelial growth factor in the medium was significantly higher in the HQ group than in the control group. HQ-induced changes in melanin production may be responsible for the uneven pigmentation of the RPE, and these changes may cause nAMD.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms242316801","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,27]],"date-time":"2023-11-27T03:32:03Z","timestamp":1701055923000},"page":"16801","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Alteration in Melanin Content in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells upon Hydroquinone Exposure"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"24","author":[{"given":"Takeyuki","family":"Nishiyama","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hiroki","family":"Tsujinaka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tetsuo","family":"Ueda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nahoko","family":"Ogata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e106","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(13)70145-1","article-title":"Global prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"2","author":"Wong","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lancet Glob. 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