Caspase‐3 in ultraviolet radiation cataract

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) England), 2014-09, Vol.92 (s253), p.0-0
• Main Authors: TALEBI ZADEH, N, YU, Z, KRONSCHLÄGER, M, SÖDERBERG, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ophthalmology
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2014.S079.x

Purpose To determine the evolution of active caspase‐3 protein expression in normal lens and in the lens exposed to low dose 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 non‐exposed lenses were removed and processed for immunohistochemistry. The number and distribution of the cells labeled for active caspase‐3 in the exposed and contralateral non‐exposed lenses were compared among the four different time points after the exposure. Results In normal lenses, active caspase‐3 expression was abundant in the anterior pole of the lens. The probability of a radial spatial distribution of the labelling was fitted to a logistic model. The increased rate of active caspase‐3 expression was at 23±3 cell‐1 and the inflection point was estimated at cell number 114±3 (0.95% CI). Active caspase‐3 expression was higher in the exposed lenses (95%CI= 0.18±0.02). The mean differences between the exposed and contralateral non‐exposed lenses were 0.17±0.02, 0.20±0.03, 0.21±0.03, and 0.11±0.04 (95%CI) for the 0.5, 8, 16, and 24 hour time groups, respectively. There were no differences in the expression of caspase‐3 between the 0.5 and 24‐hour groups or between the 8 and 16‐hour groups (95%CI= ‐0.02±0.03). There was a difference when comparing the 0.5 and 24 hours groups to the 8 and 16 hours groups (95%CI= 0.06±0.03). Conclusion Active caspase‐3 is present in normal lens epithelial cells, with more expression at the anterior pole of the lens and less expression towards the periphery. After UVR exposure, the expression of active caspase‐3 in the lens epithelium increased. The peak of expression was detected approximately 16 hours after the exposure.