title: Nicotine exposure exacerbates development of cataracts in a type 1 diabetic rat model.
abstract: Diabetes and smoking are known risk factors for cataract development. In this study, we evaluated the effect of nicotine on the progression of cataracts in a type 1 diabetic rat model. Diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by a single injection of 65 mg/kg streptozotocin. Daily nicotine injections were administered subcutaneously. Forty-five rats were divided into groups of diabetics with and without nicotine treatment and controls with and without nicotine treatment. Progression of lens opacity was monitored using a slit lamp biomicroscope and scores were assigned. To assess whether systemic inflammation played a role in mediating cataractogenesis, we studied serum levels of eotaxin, IL-6, and IL-4. The levels of the measured cytokines increased significantly in nicotine-treated and untreated diabetic animals versus controls and demonstrated a positive trend in the nicotine-treated diabetic rats. Our data suggest the presence of a synergistic relationship between nicotine and diabetes that accelerated cataract formation via inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tirgan
authors.forename: Gabriela A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kulp
authors.forename: Praveena
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boretsky
authors.forename: Tomasz A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wiraszka
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Godley
authors.forename: Ronald G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Tilton
authors.forename: Massoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motamedi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D054413:Chemokine CCL11 / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005123:Eye / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: C515458:Ccl11 protein, rat; D054413:Chemokine CCL11; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D015847:Interleukin-4; D013311:Streptozocin; D009538:Nicotine