Laser Raman spectrometry study on experimental galactose-induced cataract.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the dynamic changes of hydration in galactose induced cataract.


METHODS
Two groups of Wistar rats were used in the experiment. There were 12 rats in the experimental group, which were fed diet of 50% D-Galactose standard feed; while the control group had 8 rats fed standard feed. Their other living conditions were the same. At desired time periods, two Wistar rats fed galactose and one normal control were selected and killed 20 minutes before the instrument examination respectively, then, their lenses were removed from the orbs by a posterior approach. The cleaned fresh lens was placed in a quartz cuvette with Tris buffered balanced salt solution containing 5.5 mmol/L glucose. The quartz cuvette was placed on the stage of the Spectrometer. The laser beam was focused at the lens nuclear from the bottom of the cuvette and the scattered light was collected at 90 degrees to the incident beam.


RESULTS
Raman spectroscopy showed that (1) during the formation of galactose cataract, the water signal (at 3390cm-1) increased obviously, and the ratio of I3390/I2935 increased from 0.31 (3 days) to 2.26 (17 days), which is correlated with the imbibition of water in the lens nuclear; (2) the hydration of lens nuclear could be divided into two phases. The ratio I3390/I2935 was increased slowly and steadily by 11 days after galactose feeding. Then, the ratio turned to increase quite fast till 17 days.


CONCLUSIONS
The hydration of nuclear is changed simultaneously with the formation of cataract. The hydration of nuclear is mainly due to the imbalance of Na+/K+.
Dai
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, First Affiliated Hospital, Lan Zhou Medical College, China.
Qi
S
S
Zhang
L
L
Bai
C
C
Ni
T
T
Deng
X
X
D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D005690:Galactose; D007907:Lens Nucleus, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D005690:Galactose