PP2A inhibition by LB-100 protects retinal pigment epithelium cells from UV radiation via activation of AMPK signaling

Highlights: • LB-100, the PP2A inhibitor, protects retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells from UVR. • LB-100 activates AMPK signaling, inhibiting UVR-induced oxidative injuries in RPE cells. • LB-100-induced RPE cytoprotection against UVR requires AMPK activation. • PP2A knockout mimics and nullifies LB-100-induced RPE cytoprotection against UVR. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling activation can inhibit Ultra-violet (UV) radiation (UVR)-induced retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell injuries. LB-100 is a novel inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), the AMPKα1 phosphatase. Here, our results demonstrated that LB-100 significantly inhibited UVR-induced viability reduction, cell death and apoptosis in established ARPE-19 cells and primary murine RPE cells. LB-100 activated AMPK, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and Nrf2 (NF-E2-related factor 2) signalings, inhibiting UVR-induced oxidative injuries and DNA damage in RPE cells. Conversely, AMPK inhibition, by AMPKα1-shRNA, -CRISPR/Cas9 knockout or -T172A mutation, almost blocked LB-100-induced RPE cytoprotection against UVR. Importantly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated PP2A knockout mimicked and nullified LB-100-induced anti-UVR activity in RPE cells. Collectively, these results show that PP2A inhibition by LB-100 protects RPE cells from UVR via activation of AMPK signaling.