Evolution of damage in the lens after in vivo close to threshold exposure to UV-B radiation: Cytomorphological study of apoptosis

A grape-supplemented diet prevented ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced cataract by regulating Nrf2 and XIAP pathways

The purpose of this study is to investigate if grape consumption, in the form of grape powder (GP), could protect against ultraviolet (UV)-induced cataract. Mice were fed with the regular diet, sugar placebo diet, or a grape diet (regular diet supplemented with 5%, 10%, and 15% GP) for 3 months. The mice were then exposed to UV radiation to induce cataract. The results showed that the GP diet dose-dependently inhibited UV-induced cataract and preserved glutathione pools. Interestingly, UV-induced Nrf2 activation was abolished in the groups on the GP diet, suggesting GP consumption may improve redox homeostasis in the lens, making Nrf2 activation unnecessary. For molecular target prediction, a total of 471 proteins regulated by GP were identified using Agilent Literature Search (ALS) software. Among these targets, the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) was correlated with all of the main active ingredients of GP, including resveratrol, catechin, quercetin, and anthocyanins. Our data confirmed that GP prevented UV-induced suppression of XIAP, indicating that XIAP might be one of the critical molecular targets of GP. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that GP protected the lens from UV-induced cataract development in mice. The protective effects of GP may be attributed to its ability to improve redox homeostasis and activate the XIAP-mediated antiapoptotic pathway.

UVR and RPE - The Good, the Bad and the degenerate Macula

Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) has a well-established causative influence within the aetiology of conditions of the skin and the anterior segment of the eye. However, a grounded assessment of the role of UVR within conditions of the retina has been hampered by a historical lack of quantitative, and spectrally resolved, assessment of how UVR impacts upon the retina in terms congruent with contemporary theories of ageing. In this review, we sought to summarise the key findings of research investigating the connection between UVR exposure in retinal cytopathology while identifying necessary avenues for future research which can deliver a deeper understanding of UVR's place within the retinal risk landscape.

Expression of active caspase 3 in the rat lens after in vivo exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B

PURPOSES

The aim of this study is to investigate the time evolution of active caspase 3 within first 120 h in the rat lens after in vivo exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B.

METHODS

Twenty three six-week-old female albino Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to subthreshold dose (1 kJ/m2) of UVR-B unilaterally and sacrificed at 24, 41, 70 and 120 h after exposure. Lenses were enucleated and active caspase 3 was detected by Western Blot. The time evolution of active caspase 3 was then plotted as a function of relative mean difference in active caspase 3 between exposed and nonexposed lenses.

RESULTS

There is expression of active caspase 3 in both exposed and nonexposed lenses but there is no difference in relative mean difference in active caspase 3 between exposed and nonexposed lenses in all four postexposure groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B does not induce apoptosis in the rat lens in vivo within first 120 h though there is a non-significant increase of active caspase 3 at 120 h. Increase in sample size might reduce the variation level in expression of active caspase 3 in the rat lenses.

Evaluation of cataract formation in fish exposed to environmental radiation at Chernobyl and Fukushima

Recent studies apparently finding deleterious effects of radiation exposure on cataract formation in birds and voles living near Chernobyl represent a major challenge to current radiation protection regulations. This study conducted an integrated assessment of radiation exposure on cataractogenesis using the most advanced technologies available to assess the cataract status of lenses extracted from fish caught at both Chernobyl in Ukraine and Fukushima in Japan. It was hypothesised that these novel data would reveal positive correlations between radiation dose and early indicators of cataract formation. The structure, function and optical properties of lenses were analysed from atomic to millimetre length scales. We measured the short-range order of the lens crystallin proteins using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) at both the SPring-8 and DIAMOND synchrotrons, the profile of the graded refractive index generated by these proteins, the epithelial cell density and organisation and finally the focal length of each lens. The results showed no evidence of a difference between the focal length, the epithelial cell densities, the refractive indices, the interference functions and the short-range order of crystallin proteins (X-ray diffraction patterns) in lens from fish exposed to different radiation doses. It could be argued that animals in the natural environment which developed cataract would be more likely, for example, to suffer predation leading to survivor bias. But the cross-length scale study presented here, by evaluating small scale molecular and cellular changes in the lens (pre-cataract formation) significantly mitigates against this issue.

Analysis of cataract-regulated genes using chemical DNA damage induction in a rat ex vivo model

Although cataracts affect almost all people at advanced age and carry a risk of blindness, the mechanisms of cataract development remain incompletely understood. Oxidative stress, which is a causative factor in cataract, results in DNA breakage, which suggests that DNA damage could contribute to the formation of cataracts. We developed an ex vivo experimental system to study changes in gene expression during the formation of opacities in the lens by culturing explanted rat lenses with Methylmethanesulfonate (MMS) or Bleomycin, which induce DNA damage. Lenses cultured using this experimental system developed cortical opacity, which increased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In addition, we compared expression profiles at the whole gene level using microarray analysis of lenses subjected to MMS or Bleomycin stress. Microarray findings in MMS-induced opacity were validated and gene expression was measured from Days 1-4 using RT-qPCR. Altered genes were classified into four groups based on the days of peak gene expression: Group 1, in which expression peaked on Day 1; Group 2, in which expression peaked on Day 2; Group 3, in which expression progressively increased from Days 1-4 or were upregulated on Day 1 and sustained through Day 4; and Group 4, in which expression level oscillated from Days 1-4. Genes involved in lipid metabolism were restricted to Group 1. DNA repair- and cell cycle-related genes were restricted to Groups 1 and 2. Genes associated with oxidative stress and drug efflux were restricted to Group 2. These findings suggest that in temporal changes of MMS-induced opacity formation, the activated pathways could occur in the following order: lipid metabolism, DNA repair and cell cycle, and oxidative stress and drug efflux.

Mitotic Activation Around Wound Edges and Epithelialization Repair in UVB-Induced Capsular Cataracts

Purpose

Ultraviolet B (UVB) has been well documented to induce capsular cataracts; however, the mechanism of the lens epithelial cell-mediated repair process after UVB irradiation is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to better understand lens epithelial cell repair after UVB-induced epithelium damage.

Method

C57BL/6J mice were irradiated by various doses of UVB. Lens morphology and lens capsule opacity were monitored by slit lamp, darkfield microscopy, and phase-contrast microscopy. Lens epithelial cell mitotic activation and cell apoptosis were measured by immunohistochemistry. Lens epithelial ultrastructure was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy.

Results

UVB irradiation above a dose of 2.87 kJ/m2 triggered lens epithelial cell apoptosis and subcapsular cataract formation, with a ring-shaped structure composed of multilayered epithelial cell clusters manifesting a dense ring-shaped capsular cataract. The epithelial cells immediately outside the edge of the ring-shaped aggregates transitioned to mitotically active cells and performed wound healing through the epithelialization process. However, repairs ceased when lens epithelial cells made direct contact, and scar-like tissue in the center of the anterior capsule remained even by 6 months after UVB irradiation.

Conclusions

Our present study demonstrates that normally quiescent lens epithelial cells can be reactivated for epithelialization repair in response to UV-induced damage.

Exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B induces apoptosis in the lens epithelial cells and does not in the lens cortical fibre cells

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate in which part of the lens in vivo exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B radiation induces apoptosis.

METHODS

Twenty 6-week-old female albino Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to subthreshold dose (1 kJ/m² ) of UVR-B unilaterally and killed at 120 hr after exposure. Lenses were enucleated and dissected on three regions: the lens epithelium, the cortex and the nucleus. The lens nucleus then was removed. Apoptosis markers p53 and caspase 3 were used to study apoptosis in the lens regions. qRT-PCR and Western blot were utilized to analyse the lenses.

RESULTS

TP53 and CASP3 mRNA expressions are increased in exposed lenses, both in the lens epithelium and in the cortex regions, in relation to non-exposed lenses. Expression of p53 protein is increased in exposed lens epithelium in relation to non-exposed lens epithelium. Caspase 3 protein is expressed in exposed lens epithelial cells, while it is not expressed in non-exposed lens epithelial cells. p53 and caspase 3 proteins are not expressed in either exposed nor non-exposed lens fibre cells.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to UVR-B increases mRNA transcription of apoptosis marker p53 in vivo in both regions of the lens and of apoptosis marker caspase 3 in the lens cortex. Exposure to UVR-B increases p53 and caspase 3 proteins expression just in the lens epithelium. In vivo exposure to subthreshold dose of UVR-B induces apoptosis in the lens epithelial cells and does not in the lens fibre cells.

Objective automated quantification of fluorescence signal in histological sections of rat lens

Visual quantification and classification of fluorescent signals is the gold standard in microscopy. The purpose of this study was to develop an automated method to delineate cells and to quantify expression of fluorescent signal of biomarkers in each nucleus and cytoplasm of lens epithelial cells in a histological section. A region of interest representing the lens epithelium was manually demarcated in each input image. Thereafter, individual cell nuclei within the region of interest were automatically delineated based on watershed segmentation and thresholding with an algorithm developed in Matlab™. Fluorescence signal was quantified within nuclei, cytoplasms and juxtaposed backgrounds. The classification of cells as labelled or not labelled was based on comparison of the fluorescence signal within cells with local background. The classification rule was thereafter optimized as compared with visual classification of a limited dataset. The performance of the automated classification was evaluated by asking 11 independent blinded observers to classify all cells (n = 395) in one lens image. Time consumed by the automatic algorithm and visual classification of cells was recorded. On an average, 77% of the cells were correctly classified as compared with the majority vote of the visual observers. The average agreement among visual observers was 83%. However, variation among visual observers was high, and agreement between two visual observers was as low as 71% in the worst case. Automated classification was on average 10 times faster than visual scoring. The presented method enables objective and fast detection of lens epithelial cells and quantification of expression of fluorescent signal with an accuracy comparable with the variability among visual observers. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

miR‑34a suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells by targeting E2F3

microRNA (miRNA) is abnormally expressed in numerous diseases, and it was intimately associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, the mechanism by which miRNAs control cataractogenesis remains unclear. In the current study, it was demonstrated that miR-34a was highly expressed in the cataractous lens by stem-loop reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Trying to investigate the role of miR-34a in human lens epithelial cells, miR-34a mimics were transfected into SRA01/04 cells, and this suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis. Subsequently, E2F3 was confirmed as a direct target of miR-34a. Downregulation of E2F3 by small interfering (si) RNA siE2F3 resulted in proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of SRA01/04 cells. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that miR-34a and siE2F3 downregulated E2F3 expression at a protein level. In summary, the current study demonstrated that miR-34a suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis of SRA01/04 cells by downregulating E2F3. These observations provide novel insights with potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of cataracts.

Does infrared or ultraviolet light damage the lens?

In daylight, the human eye is exposed to long wavelength ultraviolet radiation (UVR), visible radiation and short wavelength infrared radiation (IRR). Almost all the UVR and a fraction of the IRR waveband, respectively, left over after attenuation in the cornea, is absorbed in the lens. The time delay between exposure and onset of biological response in the lens varies from immediate-to-short-to-late. After exposure to sunlight or artificial sources, generating irradiances of the same order of magnitude or slightly higher, biological damage may occur photochemically or thermally. Epidemiological studies suggest a dose-dependent association between short wavelength UVR and cortical cataract. Experimental data infer that repeated daily in vivo exposures to short wavelength UVR generate photochemically induced damage in the lens, and that short delay onset cataract after UVR exposure is photochemically induced. Epidemiology suggests that daily high-intensity short wavelength IRR exposure of workers, is associated with a higher prevalence of age-related cataract. It cannot be excluded that this effect is owing to a thermally induced higher denaturation rate. Recent experimental data rule out a photochemical effect of 1090 nm in the lens but other wavelengths in the near IRR should be investigated.

Regulatory effect of Bcl-2 in ultraviolet radiation-induced apoptosis of the mouse crystalline lens

The aim of the present study was to analyze the role of Bcl-2 during the process of apoptosis in the mouse crystalline lens. In total, 12 normal mice served as the control group and 12 Bcl-2 knockout (K.O) mice served as the experimental group. The mouse crystalline lens was sampled for the detection of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression following exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to determine Bcl-2 expression in the groups of normal mice receiving UV radiation or not receiving UV radiation. Samples of the murine crystalline lens were microscopically harvested and analyzed using western blotting. Apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Furthermore, caspase 3 activity was examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits, and RT-qPCR was used to analyze caspase-3 expression levels. The results of the present study demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in the level of Bcl-2 gene transcription between the two groups. In addition, UV radiation did not change the macrostructure of the crystalline lens in the group of normal mice or the group of Bcl-2 K.O mice. The results of the TUNEL assay indicated that the normal-UV group exhibited a more significant apoptosis level compared with the Bcl-2 K.O-UV group. Furthermore, the mRNA expression level of caspase-3 in the normal-UV group was significantly higher compared with the normal-nonUV group (P<0.05), while the levels in the Bcl-2 K.O-UV group were significantly higher compared with the Bcl-2 K.O and normal-nonUV groups (P<0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression level of caspase-3 was significantly higher in the normal-UV, as compared with the Bcl-2 K.O-UV group (P<0.05), and the variation trends in caspase-3 activity were consistent. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that Bcl-2 may have an important role in the promotion of UV-induced apoptosis in the crystalline lens.

Integrin αVβ5-mediated Removal of Apoptotic Cell Debris by the Eye Lens and Its Inhibition by UV Light Exposure

Accumulation of apoptotic material is toxic and associated with cataract and other disease states. Identification of mechanisms that prevent accumulation of apoptotic debris is important for establishing the etiology of these diseases. The ocular lens is routinely assaulted by UV light that causes lens cell apoptosis and is associated with cataract formation. To date, no molecular mechanism for removal of toxic apoptotic debris has been identified in the lens. Vesicular debris within lens cells exposed to UV light has been observed raising speculation that lens cells themselves could act as phagocytes to remove toxic apoptotic debris. However, phagocytosis has not been confirmed as a function of the intact eye lens, and no mechanism for lens phagocytosis has been established. Here, we demonstrate that the eye lens is capable of phagocytizing extracellular lens cell debris. Using high throughput RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, we establish that lens epithelial cells express members of the integrin αVβ5-mediated phagocytosis pathway and that internalized cell debris co-localizes with αVβ5 and with RAB7 and Rab-interacting lysosomal protein that are required for phagosome maturation and fusion with lysosomes. We demonstrate that the αVβ5 receptor is required for lens epithelial cell phagocytosis and that UV light treatment of lens epithelial cells results in damage to the αVβ5 receptor with concomitant loss of phagocytosis. These data suggest that loss of αVβ5-mediated phagocytosis by the eye lens could result in accumulation of toxic cell debris that could contribute to UV light-induced cataract formation.

Cataract after repeated daily in vivo exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Epidemiological data indicate a correlation between lifelong exposure to ultraviolet radiation and cortical cataract. However, there is no quantitative experimental data on the effect of daily repeated in vivo exposures of the eye to UVR. Therefore, this experiment was designed to verify whether the dose additivity for UVR exposures holds through periods of time up to 30 d. Eighty rats were conditioned to a rat restrainer 5 d prior to exposure. All animals were divided into four exposure period groups of 1, 3, 10, and 30 d of exposure to UVR. Each exposure period group of 20 animals was randomly divided into five cumulated UVR dose subgroups. Eighteen-wk-old non-anesthetized albino Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed daily to UVR-300 nm for 15 min. One week after the last exposure, animals were sacrificed. The lenses were extracted for macroscopic imaging of dark-field anatomy, and degree of cataract was quantified by measurement of the intensity of forward lens light scattering. Maximum tolerable dose (MTD(2.3:16)), a statistically defined standard for sensitivity for the threshold for UVR cataract, was estimated for each exposure period. Exposed lenses developed cataract with varying appearance on the anterior surface. Single low doses of UVR accumulated to cause cataract during periods up to 30 d. MTD(2.3:16) for 1, 3, 10, and 30 d of repeated exposures was estimated to 4.70, 4.74, 4.80, and 6.00 kJ m(-2), respectively. In conclusion, the lens sensitivity to UVR-B for 18-wk-old Sprague-Dawley rats decreases with the increasing number of days being exposed.

Time evolution of active caspase-3 labelling after in vivo exposure to UVR-300 nm

PURPOSE

To determine the time evolution of active caspase-3 protein expression in albino rat lens after in vivo exposure to low-dose UVR-300 nm, as detected by immunofluorescence.

METHODS

Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally exposed in vivo to 1 kJ/m(2) UVR-300 nm for 15 min. At 0.5, 8, 16 and 24 hr after the UVR exposure, the exposed and contralateral nonexposed lenses were removed and processed for immunohistochemistry. Three mid-sagittal sections from each lens were stained. The cells labelled for active caspase-3 in each section of both the exposed and nonexposed lenses were counted and recorded three times. The difference of the proportion of labelling between the exposed and contralateral nonexposed lenses within each animal was calculated. The differences of active caspase-3 labelling at four different time-points after exposure were used to determine the time evolution of active caspase-3 expression.

RESULTS

Caspase-3 expression was higher in the exposed than in contralateral nonexposed lenses. The mean difference between the exposed and contralateral nonexposed lenses, including all lenses from all time intervals, was 0.12 ± 0.01 (= CI 95%). The mean differences between the exposed and contralateral nonexposed lenses were 0.11 ± 0.02, 0.13 ± 0.02, 0.14 ± 0.01 and 0.09 ± 0.03 (= CI 95%) for the 0.5-, 8-, 16- and 24-hr time groups, respectively. The orthogonal comparison showed no difference in the expression of active caspase-3 between the 0.5- and the 24-hr groups (Test statistic 1.50, F1,36 = 4.11, p < 0.05) or between the 8- and the 16-hr groups (test statistic 0.05, F1,36 = 4.11, p < 0.05). There was a difference when comparing the 0.5- and 24-hr groups to the 8- and 16-hr groups (test statistic 7.01, F1,36 = 4.11, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The expression of active caspase-3 in the lens epithelium increases after UVR exposure. There is a peak of expression approximately 16 hr after the exposure.

Ultrastructure of UVR-B-induced cataract and repair visualized with electron microscopy

PURPOSE

The aim of the study is to investigate and visualize the ultrastructure of cataract morphology and repair, after in vivo exposure to double threshold dose UVR-B in the C57BL/6 mouse lens.

METHODS

Twenty-six-week-old C57BL/6 mice received in vivo double threshold dose (6.4 kJ/m2) UVR-B for 15 min. The radiation output of the UVR-source had λMAX at 302.6 nm. After a latency period of 1, 2, 4 and 8 days following UVR-B exposure, the induced cataract was visualized with electron microscopy techniques. Induced, cataract was quantified as forward lens light scattering. Damage to the lens epithelium and the anterior cortex was investigated with light microscopy in toluidine blue-stained semi-thin sections, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dark field illumination photography.

RESULTS

UVR-B-exposed lenses developed anterior subcapsular and/or cortical and nuclear cataract after 1 day. Lens light scattering peaked 2 days after exposure. Lens epithelial cell damage was seen in TEM as apoptotic cells, apoptotic bodies, nuclear chromatin condensation, and swollen and disrupted anterior cortex fibres throughout the sections of the whole anterior lens surface. These morphologic changes were also visualized with SEM. Within 8 days, anterior subcapsular cataract was repaired towards the anterior sutures.

CONCLUSION

UVR-B exposure of double cataract threshold dose induces a subtotal loss of epithelial cells across the whole anterior surface of the lens. This damage to the epithelium is repaired by epithelial cell movement from the equator towards the lens sutures, thus in retrograde direction to regular epithelial cell differentiation.

Modelling the time evolution of active caspase-3 protein in the rat lens after in vivo exposure to ultraviolet radiation-B

Purpose

To introduce a model for the time evolution of active caspase-3 protein expression in albino rat lens up to 24 hours after in vivo exposure to low dose UVR in the 300 nm wavelength region (UVR-300 nm).

Methods

Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally exposed in vivo to 1 kJ/m² UVR-300 nm for 15 minutes. At 0.5, 8, 16, and 24 hours after the UVR exposure, the exposed and contralateral not-exposed lenses were removed and processed for immunohistochemistry. The differences in the probability of active caspase-3 expression at four different time points after exposure were used to determine the time evolution of active caspase-3 expression. A logistic model was introduced for the expression of active caspase-3. The parameters for the exposed and the not exposed lenses were estimated for the observation time points.

Results

The exposure to UVR-300 nm impacted on the parameters of the logistic model. Further, the parameters of the model varied with time after exposure to UVR-300 nm.

Conclusion

The logistic model predicts the impact of exposure to UVR-300 nm on the spatial distribution of probability of active caspase-3 protein expression, depending on time.

The protective effects of bilberry and lingonberry extracts against UV light-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage in vitro

Bilberry extract (B-ext) and lingonberry extract (L-ext) are currently used as health supplements. We investigated the protective mechanisms of the B-ext and L-ext against ultraviolet A (UVA)-induced retinal photoreceptor cell damage. Cultured murine photoreceptor (661W) cells were exposed to UVA following treatment with B-ext and L-ext and their main constituents (cyanidin, delphinidin, malvidin, trans-resveratrol, and procyanidin). B-ext, L-ext, and constituents improved cell viability and suppressed ROS generation. Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and protein kinase B (Akt) were analyzed by Western blotting. B-ext and cyanidin inhibited phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, and B-ext also inhibited phosphorylation of JNK by UVA. L-ext, trans-resveratrol, and procyanidin alleviated the reduction of phosphorylated Akt levels by UVA. Finally, a cotreatment with B-ext and L-ext showed an additive effect on cell viability. Our findings suggest that both B-ext and L-ext endow protective effects against UVA-induced retinal damage.

Caffeine eye drops protect against UV-B cataract

The purpose of this study was to investigate if topically applied caffeine protects against in vivo ultraviolet radiation cataract and if so, to estimate the protection factor. Three experiments were carried out. First, two groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were pre-treated with a single application of either placebo or caffeine eye drops in both eyes. All animals were then unilaterally exposed in vivo to 8 kJ/m(2) UV-B radiation for 15 min. One week later, the lens GSH levels were measured and the degree of cataract was quantified by measurement of in vitro lens light scattering. In the second experiment, placebo and caffeine pre-treated rats were divided in five UV-B radiation dose groups, receiving 0.0, 2.6, 3.7, 4.5 or 5.2 kJ/m(2) UV-B radiation in one eye. Lens light scattering was determined after one week. In the third experiment, placebo and caffeine pre-treated rats were UV-B-exposed and the presence of activated caspase-3 was visualized by immunohistochemistry. There was significantly less UV-B radiation cataract in the caffeine group than in the placebo group (95% confidence interval for mean difference in lens light scattering between the groups = 0.10 ± 0.05 tEDC), and the protection factor for caffeine was 1.23. There was no difference in GSH levels between the placebo- and the caffeine group. There was more caspase-3 staining in UV-B-exposed lenses from the placebo group than in UV-B-exposed lenses from the caffeine group. Topically applied caffeine protects against ultraviolet radiation cataract, reducing lens sensitivity 1.23 times.

Characterization of molecular mechanisms of in vivo UVR induced cataract

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world (1). The World Health Organization defines cataract as a clouding of the lens of the eye which impedes the transfer of light. Cataract is a multi-factorial disease associated with diabetes, smoking, ultraviolet radiation (UVR), alcohol, ionizing radiation, steroids and hypertension. There is strong experimental (2-4) and epidemiological evidence (5,6) that UVR causes cataract. We developed an animal model for UVR B induced cataract in both anesthetized (7) and non-anesthetized animals (8). The only cure for cataract is surgery but this treatment is not accessible to all. It has been estimated that a delay of onset of cataract for 10 years could reduce the need for cataract surgery by 50% (9). To delay the incidence of cataract, it is needed to understand the mechanisms of cataract formation and find effective prevention strategies. Among the mechanisms for cataract development, apoptosis plays a crucial role in initiation of cataract in humans and animals (10). Our focus has recently been apoptosis in the lens as the mechanism for cataract development (8,11,12). It is anticipated that a better understanding of the effect of UVR on the apoptosis pathway will provide possibilities for discovery of new pharmaceuticals to prevent cataract. In this article, we describe how cataract can be experimentally induced by in vivo exposure to UVR-B. Further RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry are presented as tools to study molecular mechanisms of UVR-B induced cataract.

Kinetics of GADD45α, TP53 and CASP3 gene expression in the rat lens in vivo in response to exposure to double threshold dose of UV-B radiation

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the evolution of expression of mRNA message for the genes for the genome stress sensor GADD45α, the apoptosis initiator TP53 and the apoptosis executor CASP3 in the rat lens in vivo in response to exposure to UVR around 300 nm. Forty six week old female albino Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally exposed to double threshold dose for cataract induction, 8 kJ/m(2) (8.9 W/m(2) for 15 min), of UVR (λ(max) = 300 nm). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 5, 24 and 120 h following exposure to UVR-B. For each of the GADD45α, TP53 and CASP3 genes, respectively, mRNA expression in the lenses was measured by quantitative RT-PCR. It was found that expression of mRNA for GADD45α transiently increases between 5 and 24 h after exposure. TP53 is slightly downregulated in exposed lenses at 1 and 5 h after exposure and thereafter the mRNA expression increases with a constant rate of 9.4\ 10(-3) rel. units/h to a 1.8 fold increase at 120 h after exposure. Expression of mRNA for CASP3 is downregulated at 1, 5 and 24 h after in vivo exposure and then increases with a constant rate of 4.7 10(-3) rel. units/h, upto a 1.3 fold upregulation at 120 h. Double threshold dose of UVR, for short delay onset of cataract, in vivo causes a transient upregulation of the stress sensor GADD45α, a concurrent downregulation of TP53 and CASP3, followed by a constant upregulation of TP53 that precedes a constant upregulation of CASP3.

Intraocular and crystalline lens protection from ultraviolet damage

OBJECTIVES

Although the risks of excess solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure of the skin are well recognized, the need for eye protection is frequently overlooked, or when sunglasses are also recommended, specific guidance is wrong or is not explained. Guidance from the World Health Organization at its InterSun webpage advises people to wear "wrap-around" sunglasses under many conditions. The objective of this study was to examine the need for UV filtration in prescription lenses, contact lenses, and sunglasses.

METHODS

The geometry of UV exposure of both eyes, solar position, ground reflection, pupil size, and lid opening were studied. Because an accurate determination of cumulative ocular exposure is difficult, the cornea itself can serve as a biologic dosimeter, because photokeratitis is not experienced on a daily basis but does under certain ground-surface and sunlight conditions. From a knowledge of the UV-threshold dose required to produce photokeratitis, we have an upper level of routine ocular exposure to ambient UV.

RESULTS

From ambient UV measurements and observed photokeratitis, the upper limits of UV exposure of the crystalline lens or an intraocular lens implant are estimated. The risk of excess UV exposure of the germinative cells of the lens is greatest from the side. Sunglasses can actually increase UV exposure of the germinative region of the crystalline lens and the corneal limbus by disabling the eyes' natural protective mechanisms of lid closure and pupil constriction! The level of UV-A risk is difficult to define.

CONCLUSIONS

Proper UV-absorbing contact lenses offer the best mode for filtering needless exposure of UV radiation of the lens and limbus.