Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
Beijing Fengtai Hospital, Beijing, China.
Exp Eye Res. 2020 Dec;201:108279. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108279. Epub 2020 Sep 28.
We aimed to investigate the associations among lens epithelium telomere length (LETL), cataract types, and systemic pro-senescence factors in patients with age-related cataract. In this prospective study, the general demographic factors, body mass index, smoking history, depression, hypertension, diabetes, various psychological measures, and uncorrected distant visual acuity of patients with age-related cataract were recorded. Lens Opacities Classification System III (LOCS III) scores and lens density measured by Scheimpflug imaging were used to evaluate the cataracts. LETL was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Correlations among these parameters were analyzed. The LOCS III nuclear opalescence (NO) score was associated with age (β = 0.053, P < 0.001) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score (β = -0.042, P = 0.004). Smoking was identified as a risk factor affecting LOCS III NO score (odds ratio = 1.546, 95% confidence interval, 1.128-2.119), but not the LOCS III cortical or posterior subcapsular scores. LETLs showed a weak association with systemic factors and LOCS III scores, and a significantly moderate correlation with the average objective lens densities of different regions measured by Scheimpflug imaging (r values ranged from -0.278 to -0.523, P < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between the LETLs and the maximum lens densities. The groups with a relatively low lens density had longer LETLs. In Conclusion, being an age-related disease, cortical cataract was also associated with "aging of the lens epithelium." Notably, lens epithelium activity rarely showed systemic effects. Thus, future studies should emphasize the importance of the telomeric system in cataractous process and aging.
我们旨在研究与年龄相关性白内障患者的晶状体上皮端粒体长度（LETL）、白内障类型和全身衰老相关因素之间的关系。在这项前瞻性研究中，记录了年龄相关性白内障患者的一般人口统计学因素、体重指数、吸烟史、抑郁、高血压、糖尿病、各种心理测量和未经矫正的远距离视力。使用晶状体混浊分类系统 III（LOCS III）评分和Scheimpflug 成像测量的晶状体密度来评估白内障。通过实时聚合酶链反应测量 LETL。分析了这些参数之间的相关性。LOCS III 核性混浊（NO）评分与年龄（β=0.053，P<0.001）和患者健康问卷-9 评分（β=-0.042，P=0.004）相关。吸烟被确定为影响 LOCS III NO 评分的危险因素（比值比=1.546，95%置信区间，1.128-2.119），但不影响 LOCS III 皮质或后囊下评分。LETL 与全身因素和 LOCS III 评分呈弱相关，与 Scheimpflug 成像测量的不同区域的平均客观晶状体密度呈显著中度相关（r 值范围为-0.278 至-0.523，P<0.05）。然而，LETL 与最大晶状体密度之间没有相关性。晶状体密度相对较低的组具有较长的 LETL。总之，作为一种年龄相关性疾病，皮质性白内障也与“晶状体上皮老化”有关。值得注意的是，晶状体上皮的活性很少表现出全身效应。因此，未来的研究应强调端粒体系统在白内障过程和衰老中的重要性。
