[The importance of the Maillard reaction in ophtalmology].
Non enzymatic glycosylation( glycation) of proteins, described by L. C. Maillard in 1912, results in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE-s). These exhibit a number of harmful reactions, increasing with age and involved in several age-associated pathologies. In ocular pathology, their role was demonstrated at several levels of age-associated eye-diseases, such as the rigidification of cornea, in the separation of vitreous fibers from the hyaluronan jelly, which might result in retinal detachment. AGE-s are involved also in retinal microvascular alterations in diabetics as well as in age-related macular degeneration. We compared the cytotoxic effect of several AGE-s on human skin fibroblasts and corneal keratocytes. Keratocytes were shown to be much more resistant to the cytotoxic effect of several AGE-products than fibroblasts. This higher resistance of keratocytes to the free radical mediated cytotoxic effect of AGE-s might be the result of the constant exposure of cornea to UV-light possibly mediating the appearance of more efficient protective mechanisms during evolution.
Péterszegi
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Laboratoire de recherche ophtalmologique, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, Université Paris 5, 1, place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75181 Paris cedex 04.
Robert
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AM
Robert
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Renard
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D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005123:Eye / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D015416:Maillard Reaction; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects; D009799:Ocular Physiological Phenomena; D009885:Ophthalmology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced