Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity of lens epithelial cells to apoptotic agents and the effect of substrates or media additions on their response. Methods: Primary bovine lens epithelial cells were isolated from animals less that 6 months old. The cells were trypsinized from the lens capsule and expanded before replating back onto either plastic or pinned-out lens capsules. Variations in apoptotic sensitivity of the lens epithelial cells when grown on the capsule substrate was determined in the presence of staurosporine at concentrations ranging from 50 nM to 1000 nM. In a further experiment, trypsin and heat treatments were applied to the capsule in an attempt to identify the nature of the anti-apoptotic factor.The expression of LEDGF, HSP27 and α B-crystallin were also monitored to identify the cell response to the capsule factor. Results: Lens epithelial cells grown onto the bovine lens capsule were significantly protected against staurosporine-induced apoptosis compared to the control cells. This protection was not impaired after the capsule was treated with either trypsin or heat . HSP27,αB-crystallin, and LEDGF expression was detected in the lens epithelial cells grown onto bovine lens capsules and appear to correlate with decreased apoptotic sensitivity to staurosporine. Conclusion: The lens capsule provides a significant protection against apoptotic agents in lens epithelial cells. Further analysis is needed to identify the specific factor(s) in the lens capsule that gives protection. This protection seems to be correlated with the expression of some anti-apoptotic genes within the lens epithelial cells.
Keywords: 522 posterior capsular opacification (PCO) • 341 cell death/apoptosis • 378 crystallins