51Cr release and oxidative stress in the lens.

Examination of the opaque areas of human cortical cataracts has shown that a large portion of the opacity could be attributed to the globules found there. We tested models involving globule formation as a result of oxidative damage to rat lens cells in culture and whole chick embryo lenses. When cell monolayers from a lens cell line were exposed to oxidizing conditions they developed globules on the cell surface. The cells were protected from damage by the addition of glutathione and vitamin C. Thirteen-day chick embryo lenses were also incubated in oxidizing conditions and the amount of cellular damage was assessed using a chromium-51 release assay we have developed. After 24 hr the percent 51Cr in the medium increased by an average of 20% as a result of 10 mM hydrogen peroxide treatment. The addition of the 10 mM vitamin C to the hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced the 51Cr leakage to the control level. Light microscopy of sections of the lens showed a breakdown of the equatorial fibre arrangement in the presence of H2O2, while addition of vitamin C restored the fibre organization to almost normal. The findings suggest that oxidative stress is an important step in cataractogenesis and point towards the use of water soluble antioxidants as protective agents.