title: [Identification of rabbit lens proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoreses and mass spectrometry].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the role of lens proteomics using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectrometry in order to exploring novel effective ways for cataract prevention and therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proteins of the three-month-year old rabbit lens were separated using immobilized pH gradients 2-DE. Image analysis was carried out using Image Master 2D Elite 3.01 software package. Most of the crystallines was identified by matrix assisted laser adsorption/ionization-time of-flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maps of 2-DE showed that lens proteins were in the section of pH 5 - 9 and the relative molecular weight was 14,000 - 94,000, while relative molecular weight of more abundant crystalline was localized at 14,000 - 40,000. About 180 protein spots were detected with the similar PI, molecular weight and quantity of each spot could be acquired by image analysis software. Sixteen crystallines were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proteomic analysis of lens can be accomplished and the proteins can be well separated and analyzed using 2-DE and mass spectrometry. This technique offers a new avenue for analyses of lens proteins and to assess their differential expression in cataract, and may thus provide a novel approach to cataract prevention and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China. mayzm@21cn.com
authors.forename: Yi-zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xia-lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xin-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhao-xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Ming-xing
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003459:Crystallins / Q000032:analysis*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D020543:Proteome; D011817:Rabbits; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D003459:Crystallins; D020543:Proteome