title: [Character of alpha-crystallin molecular chaperone activity in selenite cataract].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the character of alpha-crystallin molecular chaperone activity in selenite cataract.
  
  
  METHODS
  alpha-Crystallin from lenses of normal young rats and lenses with selenite cataract were separated and purified by gel filtration chromatography. The chaperone activity of alpha-crystallin was assayed by mearsuring heat-induced aggregation and scattering of catalase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  alpha-Crystallin in both normal and cataractous lenses specifically prevented catalase against thermal aggregation compared with control proteins. The preventive ability in alpha H-crystallin was less than in alpha L-crystallin. Chaperone activity was diminished in selenite cataract. There was statistically significant difference in chaperone activity between normal and cataractous lenses in both alpha H-crystallin and alpha L-crystallin respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduction of alpha-crystallin chaperone activity in selenite cataract by preventing thermal aggregation of catalase is an important process in cataract formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018038:Sodium Selenite; D038201:alpha-Crystallins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D038201:alpha-Crystallins; D002374:Catalase; D018038:Sodium Selenite