March 2012
Volume 53, Issue 14
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   March 2012
Metabolic Syndrome And Cataract: Studies With A Novel Obese Rat Model
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • G Bhanuprakash Reddy
    Biochemistry,
    National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
  • P Y. Reddy
    Biochemistry,
    National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
  • N. V. Giridharan
    National Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences,
    National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  G Bhanuprakash Reddy, None; P. Y. Reddy, None; N. V. Giridharan, None
  • Footnotes
    Support  Indian Council of Medical Research
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science March 2012, Vol.53, 3041. doi:
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      G Bhanuprakash Reddy, P Y. Reddy, N. V. Giridharan; Metabolic Syndrome And Cataract: Studies With A Novel Obese Rat Model. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2012;53(14):3041.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract

Purpose: : Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide, and off late, epidemiological studies indicate a preponderance of cataract under obesity conditions. Though, cataract is a multifactorial disorder and various biochemical mechanisms are proposed, the influence of obesity on cataractogenesis has not yet been investigated. A suitable animal model that develops cataract following the onset of obesity will be useful. We investigated the molecular and biochemical basis of predisposition to cataract in a novel obese rat model, WNIN-Ob rat, because 15-20% of WNIN-Ob rats develop cataracts spontaneously by the time they reach 12-15 months of age.

Methods: : We have analyzed the major biochemical pathways in the normal lens of different age groups of novel obese mutant rat strains- WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob, the former with euglycemia and other with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Results: : Except for the polyol pathway, all other principal pathways of lens remained unaltered. Because of this, sorbitol levels were found to be high in the normal eye lens of WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob rats compared to their lean controls from 3-months of age onwards. Increased sorbitol pathway thus seemed to cause oxidative stress in the lens of WNIN/Ob and WNIN/GR-Ob rats resulting in cataract in these animals. These results also indicate a synergistic effect of IGT along with obesity on the activation of sorbitol pathway, putting WNIN/GR-Ob rats at a higher risk of developing cataract.

Conclusions: : These rat models of metabolic syndrome may thus be valuable tools for investigating obesity-induced cataract and also for developing intervention strategies.

Keywords: cataract • metabolism • pathology: experimental 
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