Micropurification of beta- and gamma-crystallins from rabbit aqueous humor

Proteins in aqueous humor from cataract patients with and without pseudoexfoliation syndrome

The aim of this study was to investigate the protein content in aqueous humor in eyes with and without pseudoexfoliations (PEX) and to evaluate the quantitative proteomics method, isobaric tagging for relative and absolute protein quantification (iTRAQ), in combination with two separation methods followed by matrix-assisted Laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). During cataract surgery, samples of aqueous humor were collected from 20 eyes with PEX and from 18 control eyes. The relative concentrations of proteins in the pooled samples of ten PEX eyes and eight controls were evaluated after trypsin digestion and Labeling of the peptides with (iTRAQ) reagent. Two separation methods, Liquid chromatography (LC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) were used, followed by MALDI mass spectrometry and MS/MS. Furthermore, 1D gel electrophoresis was performed on the remaining ten pooled PEX samples and ten control samples. The gel material was separated by nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC) followed by Linear-ion-trap quadrupole Fourier transformation ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR). Fifty four proteins were identified in the LC runs and 24 with CE. The relative concentrations of beta-crystallines B2 and S were raised and those of angiotensinogen and osteopontin Lowered in the PEX sample compared to the control. The trends regarding beta-crystallines B2, angiotensinogen and osteopontin were confirmed by the 1D gel electrophoresis.

Eye Lens Crystallins: A Component of Intraocular Pseudoexfoliative Material

Feeding experimental animals (19 pigs) with surplus sucrose and salt (NaCl) caused cataractous changes in lens tissue and triggered the formation of pseudoexfoliative material on the lens capsule. In the control animals (15 pigs) pseudoexfoliative material was absent. The avidin-biotin complex immunohistochemical method was applied to the pseudoexfoliative material obtained from 15 porcine experimental precataractous lenses and 1 spontaneously cataractous eye and revealed crystallins as a component of the intraocular pseudoexfoliative material. To prevent the development of both intraocular pseudoexfoliative material and crystallin-dependent glaucomatous changes in the trabecular meshwork of the eye, it is important to avoid any cataractogenic insult, including surplus sucrose and salt consumption, causing crystallin leakage from the lens.