Fig. 6: Inhibiting DDR2 mediated ferroptosis mitigates the highly myopic cataract (HMC) formation.

a, b Cell viability of DDR2-OE cells measured by CCK-8 (a, n = 3) and crystal violet staining (b). Cells were exposed to RSL3 with or without Ferrostatin-1(2 μM), Dasatinib (2 μM), Verteporfin (2 μM), and Saracatinib (2 μM) for 24 h. c Typical pictures of lens explants after culturing in vitro for 72 h. Lenses were isolated from highly myopic and contralateral eyes of mice and cultured with 10 μM RSL3, with or without 10 μM Ferrostatin-1 or 10 μM Dasatinib (n = 3). The percentage of opacity area was quantified by the ratio of the projection area of nuclear opacification to that of the whole lens. d Optical coherence tomography pictures showing the typical nuclear opacity at the fifth day after being injected with 10 μM RSL3 (n = 3). e A schematic flow chart of mouse model construction of HMC. f Typical ocular pictures taken at the fifth day after anterior camber injection with 2 μL RSL3 (10 μM) with or without 10 μM Ferrostatin-1 or 10 μM Dasatinib in highly myopic and contralateral eyes of mice. The opacity area (%) was quantified by the ratio of the projection area of nuclear opacification to that of the cornea. Data are presented as mean ± SD. Statistical significance was determined using one-way ANOVA with the Dunnett’s multiple comparison test (c, f). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.