title: Lens crystallin response to whole body irradiation with single and fractionated doses of gamma radiation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed at determining the effect of whole body irradiation with single and fractionated low doses of γ-radiation on the structure of normal rats lens crystallin with the concept of correlating this with the changes in its molecular weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of Wistar albino rats were involved in this study; the first group is the control (n = 10) and the second group (n = 10) treated with a single dose of 4.0 Gy administered in one application from Cesium-137. The third group (n = 60) was treated for 8 weeks with fractionated dose rate of 0.5 Gy/week. Lens crystallin was analysed for protein content measurements and column chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measurements of total soluble lens protein indicated pronounced decreases after exposure to single and fractionated doses of γ-radiation. The molecular weights and the protein content for the β(H) (with high molecular weight), β(L) (with low molecular weight) and γ-crystallin fractions revealed generalized alteration for all groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single and fractionated doses of γ-radiations induced lens crystallin changes that might lead to development of cataract due to induction of cross-linking and aggregation. β(H)-crystallin was the most stable against radiation induced damage, and the molecular weight of γ-crystallin was the most sensitive to gamma radiation.
authors.affiliation: Biophysics and Laser Science Unit, Vision Sciences Department, Research Institute of Ophthalmology, Giza, Egypt. saelkawi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Salwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdelkawi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003459:Crystallins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D003459:Crystallins