Fig. 1: The establishment of SIO-induced RPE degeneration in vitro and in vivo.

A A flowchart showing the in vitro study design. SIO at different concentration or PBS was added to human primary HRPEpiC cells and ARPE-19 cells for 24 h to establish RPE degeneration models in vitro. SIO sodium iodate, RPE retinal pigment epithelium, HRPEpiC human retinal pigment epithelial cells, ARPE-19 adult retinal pigment epithelial cells, AMD age-related macular degeneration, RD RPE degeneration, PBS phosphate-buffered saline. B Primary HRPEpiC morphology and C ARPE-19 morphology upon exposure to different concentrations of SIO under phase-contrast microscopy (scale bar = 100 µm). D CCK-8 cell viability assay results of primary HRPEpiC upon exposure to different concentrations of SIO. CCK-8 Cell Counting Kit-8. n = 4 (independent experiments). E CCK-8 cell viability assay results of ARPE-19 upon exposure to different concentrations of SIO. n = 3 (independent experiments). F CCK-8 cell viability assay results of the effect of Fer-1 pre-treatment on 10 mM SIO-challenged primary HRPEpiC cells. Different concentrations of Fer-1 were prepared in DMSO, followed by SIO treatment. The vehicle is the control for Fer-1. Fer-1 Ferrostatin-1. n = 3. G CCK-8 cell viability assay results of the effect of DFO pre-treatment on 10 mM SIO-challenged primary HRPEpiC cells. DFO was dissolved in 1xPBS first and used for later treatment. The vehicle is the control for DFO. DFO deferoxamine. n = 3. H CCK-8 cell viability assay results of the effect of Fer-1 pre-treatment on 20 mM SIO-challenged ARPE-19 cells. Fer-1 is dissolved in DMSO first and used for later treatment. The vehicle is the control for Fer-1. n = 3 (independent experiments). I CCK-8 cell viability assay results of the effect of DFO pre-treatment on 20 mM SIO-challenged ARPE-19 cells. Different concentrations of DFO were prepared in 1×PBS, followed by SIO treatment. The vehicle is the control for DFO. n = 3. J Mice were subjected to two dosages of SIO and ERG test was performed on the 3rd day after intraperitoneal injection. ERG amplitude results of mice in two dosages of SIO on the 3rd day after injection. n = 4–5 (independent experiments). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.