title: Red blood cells galactose-1-P-urydil transferase in senile and presenile cataracts.
abstract: There are conflicting reports in the literature regarding the role of partial deficiency of "galactosemic" enzymes (galactose-1-P-urydil transferase and galactokinase) in the development of infantile and presenile cataract. The AA. have investigated the levels of Red Blood Cell Galactose-1-P-urydil transferase in 39 cataractous patients and in 22 age matched controls. A weak correlation between the enzymatic activity deficiency and the presenile cataract has been identified. The results suggest that a chronic impairment of galactose metabolism may be a contributory risk factor in the pathogenesis of presenile cataracts; however, further investigations are required to assess the actual significance of the findings of the present paper.
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, 1st School of Medicine, University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Auricchio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simonelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Rosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase