Accumulation and aberrant modifications of alpha-crystallins in anterior polar cataracts.
Crystallins are the major proteins found in the lens, and the localization of specific crystallins is well known. Overexpression and accumulation of alphaB-crystallin has been observed in response to stress conditions or in certain diseases, such as brain tumors and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether alpha-crystallins are modified during pathological myofibroblastic changes in lens epithelial cells. Lens epithelial cells attached to the anterior capsules of patients with nuclear or anterior polar cataracts were analyzed quantitatively for alpha-crystallin proteins and mRNAs using Western blot and RT-PCR analysis., respectively. The degree of modification of alpha-crystallins was determined by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by Western blotting. Higher molecular weight protein bands that were immunoreactive to anti-alphaA- and anti-alphaB-crystallin antibodies around 45 kDa accumulated more in the anterior polar cataract samples than in those with the nuclear type of cataracts. Also monomeric alphaB-crystallins accumulated more in lens epithelial cells of patients with anterior polar cataracts. By comparison, no significant changes were found in the levels of the mRNAs encoding alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins in the different types of cataracts. Both alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin proteins seemed to undergo more extensive modification in anterior polar cataracts. Conclusion. In addition to fibrotic changes, which accompany increased levels of extracellular matrix molecules, accumulation and abnormal modification of alpha-crystallins might be implicated in the pathogenic mechanism of this type of cataract.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Korea Eye Tissue and Gene Band, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kyung-Hoon
KH
Hwang
Eunjoo H
EH
Lee
Eek-Hoon
EH
Jho
Jae-Ho
JH
Kim
Do Hyung
DH
Lee
Sung-Kun
SK
Chung
Eung Kwon
EK
Kim
Choun-Ki
CK
Joo
D000328:Adult; D002386:Cataract / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D038202:alpha-Crystallin A Chain / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D038202:alpha-Crystallin A Chain; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain