VITAMIN-C REDUCES CYTOCHALASIN-D CATARACTOGENESIS

The effect of cytochalasin D (CD), an actin monomer-stabilizer, has be en studied on cataract development in rat lenses. Cataractogenesis was induced by incubating the rat lenses in medium 199 (M199) containing 10(-5) M CD; by the end of 24 h, lenses first developed a visible opac ity. The increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the culture medium, leakage of lens cytosolic proteins into the culture medium an d observable development of opacity through a dissection microscope we re correlated with cell damage associated with cataract formation. Non -denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to separate th ree lens LDH isoenzymes. The effect of 1 mM vitamin C (VC) in reducing LDH leakage was also examined. The protective effect of VC on CD-init iated cataractous lenses is significant. This suggest that a portion o f the opacity and lens damage may involve oxidative damage to the memb rane-cytoskeleton complex which is started by CD, but partially preven ted by VC.