Detection of anti-lens crystallin antibody in dogs with and without cataracts.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if antilens crystallin (ALC) serum and aqueous humor antibodies were present in normal dogs and dogs with cataracts, whether antibody incidence varied with stage of cataract, and whether antibody titer had a relationship to the presence of lens-induced uveitis.


METHODS
Serum and aqueous humor samples were obtained from normal dogs and dogs with cataracts. Lens crystallin was separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and antilens crystallin antibodies were detected by Western immunoblot analysis. An indirect ELISA using crystallin protein as antigen was also used to detect antilens crystallin antibodies in serum and aqueous humor. Test groups included normal, incipient, immature, mature, hypermature and diabetic cataract.


RESULTS
SDS-PAGE identified bands with molecular weights of lens crystallin subunits. Western immunoblotting demonstrated reaction between canine serum and these protein bands. The five canine serum samples that reacted with crystallin subunits on Western blots had corresponding reactivity on the ELISA. All aqueous humor samples (30) were negative. Serum ALC antibodies were detected in 59.3% (16/27) of controls, 66.7% (16/24) of incipients, 50.0% (10/20) of immatures, 37.9% (11/29) of matures, 28.6% (6/21) of hypermatures, and 26.7% (4/15) of diabetics. Serum ALC antibodies were detected in 43.1% (47/109) of all cataract samples. There was a statistically significant negative association between the presence (P = 0.004) and maturity (P = 0.004) of cataract and presence of ALC serum antibodies. In the immature and hypermature cataract groups, there was a statistically significant negative association between ALC serum antibody titer and severity of uveitis (95% confidence interval).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a negative association between the presence (P = 0.004) and maturity (P = 0.004) of cataract and presence of ALC serum antibodies.
Denis
Heidi M
HM
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Section of Comparative Ophthalmology, University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 100126, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. hmd@cfl.rr.com
Brooks
Dennis E
DE
Alleman
Arthur R
AR
Andrew
Stacy E
SE
Plummer
Caryn
C
D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002386:Cataract / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003459:Crystallins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male
D001323:Autoantibodies; D003459:Crystallins