Relationship between galactose-induced apoptosis of lens epithelial cells and cataractogenesis / 基础医学与临床

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the relationship between galactose-induced apoptosis of lens epithelial cells and cataractogenesis.Methods Galactose was injected retrobulbarly into Wistar rats.The opacity of lens was examined by slit lamp.The expression of C-MYC was measured by flow cytometer.The apoptosis of lens epithelial cells was observed by TUNEL techniques.Results More than 50 percent of lenses were in the Ⅱ stage of cataractogenesis on the(7 d) after galactose induction;Eighty-seven percent of lenses were in the Ⅳ-Ⅴ stage on the(14 d),and 100 percent of lenses were in the Ⅳ-Ⅴ stage on the(24 d).The rate of apoptotic cell on the(7 d) and on the(14 d) after galactose induction was respectively 5.6%～8.4% and 30.2%～41.8%,and 60% apoptotic cells were observed on the(24 d).The levels of C-MYC expression in lens epithelial cells induced by galactose on the(7 d) and(14 d) were higher than that of normal lenses,but the level of C-MYC expression backed to normal level on the(24 d).Conclusion It was suggested that there are some apoptosis of the lens epithelial cells during galactose-induced cataractogenesis and that the apoptosis of the lens epithelial cells might be caused by higher expression of C-MYC.