Ultrastructure and crystallin mutant molecular modeling of hereditary coralliform cataract / 浙江大学学报·医学版

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the correlation of gammaD-crystallin P23T mutant with lens ultrastructure of the hereditary coralliform cataract.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Complete ophthalmologic examinations were performed before lens extraction and lens samples were studied by transmission and scanning electric microscope respectively. Protein molecular modeling was performed using SWISS-MODEL(version 2.0).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Protein structure modeling demonstrated that the mutant caused a decrease in molecular final total energy and changes in the surface structure of gammaD-crystallin. Ultrastructure study revealed crystals deposited in lens, extensive granules dispersed in uncommon oval structure and the disorganization of lens epithelial cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It is possible that the gammaD-crystallin P23T mutant is associated with abnormal crystals in lens and disorganization of lens epithelial cells.</p>