Lens crystallins in aqueous and vitreous humor in selenite overdose cataract.

The purpose of this research was to determine if crystallins were released from the lens into the aqueous and vitreous humor in selenite-overdose cataract. At 20 days post injection, aqueous and vitreous were obtained from lenses containing nuclear cataract or "mature" cataract (nuclear and cortical opacities). Humors were analyzed by direct ELISA and immunoblotting using antibodies against lens crystallins. Both types of selenite cataract showed increased alpha-, beta- and gamma-crystallins in aqueous and vitreous. Increases in crystallins in vitreous humor were larger than in aqueous humor, possibly because of slower turnover of vitreous. Extensive membrane damage in selenite cataract probably caused leakage of crystallins from the lens to aqueous and vitreous humors. This model may be useful for studies on the immunologic response of the body to lens crystallins released by cataract.