title: An increase in apoptosis and reduction in αB-crystallin expression levels in the lens underlie the cataractogenesis of Morioka cataract (MCT) mice.
abstract: We examined the morphological changes in fibers, localization of apoptotic cells, and protein expression of αB-crystallin in the lens of Morioka cataract (MCT) mice, a novel cataract model. Using a scanning electron microscope, swollen lens fibers and enlarged spaces between lens fibers were observed in the lens of 3-week-old MCT mice. At 2 weeks of age (before cataract), the single-strand DNA (ssDNA)-positive (indicating apoptosis) cell ratio of the lens epithelium was significantly higher in MCT than in wild-type ddY mice. At 2 and 4 weeks of age, αB-crystallin protein expression of the lens in MCT mice was significantly lower than that in wild-type ddY mice. These findings suggest that increase in apoptosis and reduction in αBcrystallin level are involved in the cataractogenesis of MCT mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Structural Biosciences, Division of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Rinku Ourai Kita, Izumi-Sano, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishiga-Hashimoto
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mino
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.forename: Ken Takeshi
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kusakabe
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002386:Cataract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015870:Gene Expression; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D038203:alpha-Crystallin B Chain