The UPL rat: a new model for hereditary cataracts with two cataract formation types

Gene profiles and mutations in the development of cataracts in the ICR rat model of hereditary cataracts

Cataracts are opacifications of the lens that cause loss of visual acuity and ultimately of eyesight. Age-related cataract develops in most elderly people, but the mechanisms of cataract onset are incompletely understood. The Ihara Cataract Rat (ICR) is an animal model of hereditary cataracts showing cortical opacity that commonly develops prematurely. We identified putative mechanisms of cataract onset in the ICR rat model by measuring gene expression changes before and after cortical cataract development and conducting point mutation analysis. Genes differentially expressed between 4-week-old animals without cortical cataracts and 8-10-week-old animals with cortical cataracts were selected from microarray analysis. Three connections were identified by STRING analysis: (i) Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), including Col1a2, and Pik3r1. (ii) Lens homeostasis, including Aqp5, and Cpm. (iii) Lipid metabolism, including Scd1, Srebf1, and Pnpla3. Subsequently, mutation points were selected by comparing ICR rats with 12 different rats that do not develop cataracts. The apolipoprotein Apoc3 was mutated in ICR rats. Analyses of gene expression changes and point and mutations suggested that abnormalities in EMT or lipid metabolism could contribute to cataract development in ICR rats.

Adverse effects of excessive nitric oxide on cytochrome c oxidase in lenses of hereditary cataract UPL rats

The UPL rat is a newly developed hereditary cataract model. We previously found that the ATP content in UPL rat lenses decreases during cataract development, and the decrease in ATP content causes Ca(2+)-ATPase dysfunction resulting in an elevation in Ca(2+) and cataract development. In addition, we reported that the oral administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine ameliorates the decrease in ATP content and the elevation in Ca(2+) content in UPL rat lenses. In this study, we demonstrate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the expression and activity of cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) in normal and UPL rat lenses during cataract development. We also determined the effects of the oral administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine on the mRNA expression and activity of CCO and NO production in UPL rat lenses. The expression of CCO-1 mRNA in UPL rat lenses, determined by a quantitative real-time RT-PCR method, decreased during cataract development. CCO activity in UPL rat lenses also decreased with aging. On the other hand, the oral administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine attenuated the decrease in CCO-1 mRNA expression and CCO activity. These results suggest that excessive NO causes the decrease in CCO-1 mRNA expression and CCO activity, and that the decrease in CCO may cause the decrease in ATP production in UPL rat lenses. Disulfiram and aminoguanidine may attenuate the decrease in ATP production, resulting in a delay in cataract development.

Involvement of DNase II-like acid DNase in the cataract formation of the UPL rat and the Shumiya cataract rat

The loss of organelles and DNA is important to ensure transparency of the lenses, and DNase II-like acid DNase (also called DNase IIbeta, DLAD) is related to the loss of organelles and DNA in the lenses. We investigated the relation between the degradation of DNA and DLAD mRNA expression in the lenses of two hereditary cataract rats, the UPL rat (UPLR) and the Shumiya cataract rat (SCR), during cataract development. Undigested DNA was detected in the lens cortexes of normal UPLRs and SCRs, and undigested DNA was degraded in the lens nuclei of normal UPLRs and SCRs. DLAD does not affect common cataract formation, since DLAD mRNA expression levels in the lenses of cataractous SCRs were not changed with an increase in age, and undigested DNA was degraded in the lens nuclei of cataractous SCRs. On the other hand, an accumulation of undigested DNA was found in the lens nuclei of cataractous UPLRs at 46 and 53 d of age with opaque lenses, and the decrease in DLAD mRNA expression levels occurred prior to the accumulation of undigested DNA in the lens nuclei. It is possible that UPLRs are a good model for cataract caused by a decrease of DNA degradation in the lenses.

Changes in plasma membrane Ca2+ -ATPase expression and ATP content in lenses of hereditary cataract UPL rats

The UPL rat is a newly developed hereditary cataract model. We previously found that Ca2+ concentrations in UPL rat lenses increase with the development of cataract, and that the administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine ameliorates the increase in Ca2+ and the development of cataract in UPL rats. In this study, we determined the expression and activity of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) in lenses of normal and UPL rats. We also determined the ATP content in UPL rat lenses and the effects of disulfiram and aminoguanidine administration. Expression of PMCA mRNA in UPL rat lenses, determined by a reverse transcription-PCR method, increased during the development of cataract. Ca2+-ATPase activity in UPL rat lenses also increased with the progression of lens opacification. On the other hand, ATP decreased markedly in UPL rat lenses, and the administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine attenuate the ATP decrease. These results suggest that an ATP decrease cause cataract development and an increased Ca2+ may upregulate PMCA expression in UPL rat lenses. Disulfiram and aminoguanidine attenuate the decrease in ATP, resulting in a delay in cataract development.

Transport of trace elements in lenses of normal and hereditary cataract UPL rats

The multitracer technique was applied to the determination of the uptake of trace elements in the lenses of normal and hereditary cataract UPL rats to investigate the transport mechanisms of trace elements during cataract development. Be, Na, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Tc, Ru and Rh accumulate in normal and UPL cataract rat lenses. The rates of uptake of trace elements differ among species and also differ between normal and UPL rat lenses. The uptakes of V and Sr are greater in normal rat lenses, while the uptakes of Mn and Co are greater in UPL rat lenses. High concentrations of Zn are transported into normal rat lenses in comparison with other elements. However, the uptake of Se was highest in the lenses of UPL cataract rats. In addition, the difference in Se uptake between the normal and UPL rat lenses was greatest among the tested trace elements. The present study suggests that the transport characteristics of trace elements are different in the lenses of normal and UPL cataract rats. The different transport characteristics of trace elements in the lenses of normal and UPL cataract rats, especially the higher accumulation of Se in UPL rat lenses, may be implicated in cataract development.

Delay of cataract development in hereditary cataract UPL rats by disulfiram and aminoguanidine

The UPL rat is a newly developed hereditary cataract model. We previously found that the administration of disulfiram, a dimer of diethyldithiocarbamate that possesses antioxidant activity, and aminoguanidine, which is known to inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase, inhibits cataract development in selenite-induced cataract rats. In this study, we investigated the anti-cataract effects and mechanism of disulfiram and aminoguanidine on UPL rats. The opacities of UPL rat lenses, as documented by the anterior eye segment analysis system, EAS-1000 (Nidek, Aichi, Japan), increased from 39 days, and apparently mature cataracts were observed at 53 days. Accompanied with the increase in lens opacity, glutathione concentrations in UPL rat lenses decreased. The Na(+) to K(+) and water-insoluble to water-soluble protein ratios, as well as the Ca(2+) contents in UPL rat lenses increased with the development of cataracts. Oral administration of disulfiram and aminoguanidine delayed the lens opacification as well as the changes in glutathione, Na(+) to K(+) ratio, water-insoluble to soluble protein ratio, and Ca(2+) content in UPL rat lenses. The opacity and Ca(2+) content of UPL rat lenses were closely associated. The present study demonstrates that disulfiram and aminoguanidine have potency of the delay of cataract development in UPL rats, probably caused by inhibiting the rise in Ca(2+) levels.