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Peptidases Play an Important Role in Cataractogenesis: An Immunohistochemical Study on Lenses Derived from Shumiya Cataract Rats

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Abstract

The role of proteolytic enzymes in Shumiya cataract rats in alterations to lens proteins during cataract formation was studied immunohistochemically using antibodies against exopeptidases, such as lysosomal dipeptidyl peptidase II (DPP II), cytosolic dipeptidyl peptidase III, and soluble and membrane-bound alanyl aminopeptidases, and against cytosolic endopeptidases such as μ- and m-calpains, and 20S proteasome. αB-crystallin was detected as a proteolytic marker in the lenses. A constant immunoreactivity against all the antibodies employed was observed in the lens epithelium independent of the strain and age of the rats. A weak immunoreactivity against exo- and endopeptidases and an intense reactivity against αB-crystallin were observed in the lens fibres of control rats at all ages. The immunoreactivity of these peptidases in lens fibres increased with age in cataract rats, but that of αB-crystallin decreased. No reactivity against exo- and endopeptidases was seen in the perinuclear region of lenses of control rats at all ages or in Shumiya cataract rats at 8 and 10 weeks of age, but an intense reactivity against these peptidases was observed in the lens perinuclear region of lenses in cataract rats at 12 and 14 weeks of age. αB-crystallin immunoreactivity was observed with ordered striations in the lens perinuclear region of all control rats whereas the striations in this area of cataract rat lens were disorganized. Membrane-bound alanyl aminopeptidase was detected feebly in the lens epithelium and fibres of both types of rat at all weeks of age. These findings indicate that exo- and endopeptidases, except for membrane-bound alanyl aminopeptidase, are expressed intensively and are age-dependent. Conversely, the amount of αB-crystallin decreased with age in lens fibres of cataract rats. Calpains (μ- and m-), 20S proteasome, dipeptidyl peptidases II and III and soluble alanyl aminopeptidase are thought to induce lens opacification kinetically during cataract formation in Shumiya cataract rats through the intracellular turnover of lens proteins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Otsu, 520-2192, Japan

    Hui Zhang & Kazutaka Kani

  2. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Otsu, 520-2192, Japan

    Hui Zhang

  3. Department of Legal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Otsu, 520-2192, Japan

    Yishio Yamamoto & Katsuji Nishi

  4. Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Division of Gerotechnology Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan

    Seigo Shumiya

  5. Second Department of Biochemistry, Nagoya City University Medical School, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan

    Mitoshi Kunimatsu

  6. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Otsu, 520-2192, Japan

    Iwao Ohkubo

Authors
  1. Hui Zhang
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  2. Yishio Yamamoto
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  3. Seigo Shumiya
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  4. Mitoshi Kunimatsu
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  5. Katsuji Nishi
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  6. Iwao Ohkubo
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  7. Kazutaka Kani
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Zhang, H., Yamamoto, Y., Shumiya, S. et al. Peptidases Play an Important Role in Cataractogenesis: An Immunohistochemical Study on Lenses Derived from Shumiya Cataract Rats. Histochem J 33, 511–521 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014943522613

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