Identification and functional clustering of global gene expression differences between human age-related cataract and clear lenses.

Purpose: Age-related cataract is a multi-factorial disease with a poorly understood etiology. Numerous studies provide evidence that the human eye lens has evolved specific regulatory and protective systems to ameliorate lens damage associated with cataract. Other studies suggest that the presence of cataract is associated with the altered expression of specific genes including metallothionein IIa, osteonectin, transglutaminase 2, betaig-h3, multiple ribosomal proteins, ADAM9, and protein phosphatase 2A.

Spectrum and range of oxidative stress responses of human lens epithelial cells to H2O2 insult.

Purpose: Oxidative stress (OS) is believed to be a major contributor to age-related cataract and other age-related diseases.

Methods: cDNA microarrays were used to identify the spectrum and range of genes with transcript levels that are altered in response to acute H(2)O(2)-induced OS in human lens epithelial (HLE) cells. HLE cells were treated with 50 microM H(2)O(2) for 1 hour in the absence of serum, followed by a return to complete medium.

Activation of metallothioneins and alpha-crystallin/sHSPs in human lens epithelial cells by specific metals and the metal content of aging clear human lenses.

Purpose: To identify those metallothionein and alpha-crystallin/small heat-shock genes induced by toxic metals in human lens cells and to evaluate the levels of these metals between young and aged human lenses.

Methods: Human SRA01/04 and primary human lens epithelial cells were cultured and exposed to Cd(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+). The levels of lens metallothioneins (Ig, If, Ih, Ie, and IIa) and alpha-crystallin/small heat-shock (alphaA-crystallin, alphaB-crystallin, and HSP27) genes were analyzed by semiquantitative and quantitative competitive RT-PCR.

Cataract- and lens-specific upregulation of ARK receptor tyrosine kinase in Emory mouse cataract.

Purpose: The Emory mouse is a well-characterized model for age-onset cataract. The purpose of the present study was to identify differentially expressed genes between pre- and postcataract Emory mouse lenses.

Methods: Eyes were extracted from Emory mice at 3 weeks (precataract) and 7.

Decreased expression of ribosomal proteins in human age-related cataract.

Purpose: To identify lens epithelial genes with altered expression levels in age-related human cataract.

Methods: Epithelia from age-related cataracts and from normal lenses were microdissected and RNA was extracted. RNAs were compared for gene expression differences by RT-PCR differential display.