{
  "abstract": "Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a predominant contributor to preventable childhood blindness driven by oxidative stress and inflammation, but with limited treatment options. Safe, non-invasive adjunctive strategies become attractive. Lutein displays antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its clinical efficacy remains controversial. We proposed that formulating lutein in extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) might enhance its absorption and efficacy in ROP. Here, we evaluated the effects of lutein-in-EVOO (LEVOO) in oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), a mouse model of ROP. Methods: C57BL/6J mouse neonates received daily gavage of LEVOO (0.4 μg/g, 1.8 μg/g and 3.6 μg/g of lutein in EVOO) after OIR challenge from postnatal day (P) 12 to P16. Assessments were conducted at P17, including retinal vasculature, function, cytoarchitecture, inflammation, and oxidative damage; serum biochemical and antioxidant profiles; and proteomic analysis and targeted retinal metabolomic analysis. Results: Oral supplementation of LEVOO was well-tolerated and safe in mouse neonates. It reduced retinal avascular and neovascular areas, increased electroretinographic b-wave amplitudes, and restored amacrine cells and rod bipolar cells. LEVOO administration reduced oxidative damage and activated microglia. LEVOO administration inhibited the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) signaling and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1)-dependent cyclophilin A (CypA)/matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) signaling. It also helped to partially restore retinal docosahexaenoic acid and dopamine in OIR mice. Conclusion: LEVOO demonstrated multifaceted efficacy in OIR. It reconstructed retinal vasculature, restored retinal function, and rescued neuronal cell loss with strong antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. Collectively, these findings establish LEVOO as a promising non-invasive complementary strategy for ROP.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Ophthalmology, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 999077 Hong Kong, China",
    "School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, 999077 Hong Kong, China",
    "Department of Ophthalmology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany",
    "Department of Ophthalmology, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, V5Z 3N9, Vancouver, BC, Canada"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaoyuan Ye",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3705-2176"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lu Xiang",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-5035-1974"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ka Yee Chen",
      "orcid": "0009-0009-3151-7604"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Leo O Lai"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jetty Chung-Yung Lee",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8175-7069"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Antonia M. Joussen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Wai-Ching Lam"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Amy C. Y. Lo",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4239-6851"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bc87hrpspk5v1.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/nu18213616",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bc87hrpspk5v1",
  "issns": [
    "2072-6643"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3616",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-30",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bc87hrpspk5v1.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:21:06Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/nu18213616",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3616"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2072-6643",
      "subfield": "nutrition"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Lutein-in-Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil Supplementation as a Multifaceted Nutritional Intervention for Retinopathy of Prematurity: Evidence from the Mouse Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Model",
  "title_text": "Lutein-in-Extra-Virgin-Olive-Oil Supplementation as a Multifaceted Nutritional Intervention for Retinopathy of Prematurity: Evidence from the Mouse Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Model",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T00:21:03Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bc87hrpspk5v1",
  "venue": "Nutrients",
  "versions": []
}