Polyamines in normal and cataractous human lenses: evidence for post-translational modification.

The polyamine composition of normal and cataractous human lenses has been studied. Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) have been shown to occur in the unbound form in the acid-soluble fraction and in the bound form in the acid-insoluble fraction of the lens. It has also been shown that only putrescine occurs in both conjugated and non-conjugated states in the lens, while putrescine as well as spermidine occur in both forms in the aqueous fluid. Estimation of the polyamine content in cataractous lenses indicates elevated levels of both bound and unbound polyamines in these lenses in comparison to the normal lenses. Evidence is presented which indicates an increase in the level of polyamines covalently bound to protein, in a gamma-glutamyl linkage, in the cataractous lens.