Figure 4. C-phycocyanin protects cellular mitochondrial membrane potential from oxalate-induced ROS.

Integrity of mitochondrial membrane potential in MDCK cells investigated by a mitochondrial potential-sensitive dye, JC-1, showing normal stippled spots of bright red fluorescence (G1_a–c). The numbers (viz. a–c) in the panels represents the red, green and merged channel fields observed respectively. Oxalate-exposed MDCK cells observed later (G2_a–c) shows the absence of characteristic red fluorescence. Cells pre-treated with CP and oxalate showing the re-appearance of red fluorescence spots following normalization of mitochondrial potential (G3_a–c). This confirms that CP could protect against mitochondrial membrane oxalate induced-ROS and does not itself affect the mitochondrial potential. Cells treated with CP alone show a normal picture (G4_a–c). G1: Control; G2: Oxalate; G3: Oxalate+CP; G4: CP alone.