PREVENTION OF OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO RAT LENS BY PYRUVATE IN-VITRO - POSSIBLE ATTENUATION IN-VIVO

Studies have been conducted to assess the possible preventive effect o f pyruvate against lens protein oxidation and consequent denaturation and insolubilization. Rat lens organ culture system was used for these studies. The content of water insoluble proteins (urea soluble) incre ased if the lenses were cultured in medium containing hydrogen peroxid e. Incorporation of pyruvate in the medium prevented such insolubiliza tion. The insolubilization was associated primarily with loss of gamma crystallin fraction of the soluble proteins. PAGE analysis demonstrat ed that insolubilization is related to -S-S- bond formation which was preventable by pyruvate. Since pyruvate is a normal tissue metabolite the findings are considered pathophysiologically significant against c ataract formation. This was apparent by the prevention of selenite cat aract in vivo by intraperitoneal administration of pyruvate.