Cataracts in the Fat Sand Rat: An Ocular Complication of Diabetes

摘要

The fat sand rat, Psammomys obesus, a spontaneous model for Type 2 diabetes, develops cataracts within days of the onset of clinical diabetes. The purpose of this research was to determine the crystallin composition of the normal sand rat lens and determine the changes that occur during diabetic cataract formation. Materials and Methods: Slit-lamp biomicroscopy was used for ocular examinations. Blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), aqueous glucose, vitreous glucose, vitreous glycated protein and lens extract glycated protein and protein values were determined using standard techniques and colorimetric test kits. Location of glucose transporter (GLUT) transcripts was determined using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR). Lens extracts were prepared then separated by gel filtration chromatography to study the crystallin classes by SDS-PAGE. Western blotting and mass spectrometry were used to verify the crystallin composition.