Abstract
Purpose:
High myopia related cataract has very special characteristics based on its morphology and pathotype compared with other kinds of cataract. Some research had provided tremendous evidence that cataract formation is tightly related to proteins miss folding and unfolding. Among the lens proteins, crystalline alpha A is a lens chaperone that plays an essential role in the transparency and refractive properties of the lens. Our experiment is aimed to explore the alteration of crystalline alpha A in high myopia related cataract and the relationship between crystalline alpha A alteration and unfolded protein response (UPR) which is associated with ER stress.
Methods:
Real-time PCR and western blot were used to detect the lens crystalline alpha A, UPR activated IRE1α and EIF2α alteration between high myopia related cataract patients and normal people. Lens crystalline alpha A expression in human lens epithelial cells was assessed after treatment with ER stress inducer(TM and TG) and ER stress inhibitor (chemical chaperone TMAO).
Results:
The expression of lens crystalline alpha A was significantly reduced, the IRE1α and EIF2α were significantly up-regulated in high myopia related cataract patients compared with that of normal people. Lens crystalline alpha A decreased while ER stress was activated by TM and TG , and increased while the ER stress was inhibited via TMAO treatment.
Conclusions:
ER stress was involved and could mediate the lens crystalline alpha A alteration in the high myopia related cataract formation.
Keywords: 445 cataract •
533 gene/expression •
605 myopia