Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan:202:108319.
doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108319. Epub 2020 Oct 17.

Topical nerve growth factor attenuates streptozotocin-induced diabetic cataracts via polyol pathway inhibition and Na+/K+-ATPase upregulation

Jae Yong Kim  1 , Jin Hyoung Park  2 , Soon-Suk Kang  3 , Sae-Byeok Hwang  2 , Hungwon Tchah  4
Affiliations

Topical nerve growth factor attenuates streptozotocin-induced diabetic cataracts via polyol pathway inhibition and Na+/K+-ATPase upregulation

Jae Yong Kim et al. Exp Eye Res. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how topical nerve growth factor (NGF) attenuates streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic cataracts in vivo. Rats were randomly divided into three groups, including the normal control rat group, STZ-induced diabetic cataract rat group (DM group), and STZ-induced diabetic cataract rat group treated with 200 μg/mL recombinant rat β-NGF (DM + NGF group). Cataract formation was evaluated by portable slit lamp biomicroscopy following pupil dilation at 8 weeks. The expression levels of NGF, aldose reductase (AR), and Na+/K+-ATPase in the lens epithelial cells (LECs) of the three groups were measured in the presence or absence of topical NGF. TUNEL-positive LECs were quantified to determine if hyperglycemia caused LEC apoptosis. At 8 weeks, the mean cataract score in the control group was significantly lower than that in DM and DM + NGF groups, and the score in the DM + NGF group was significantly lower than that in the DM group. At the equatorial zone and anterior central zone of lens, NGF and Na+/K+-ATPase expression levels were significantly decreased in the DM group; however, they were partially restored in the DM + NGF group. At the equatorial zone and anterior central zone of lens, AR expression and TUNEL-positive apoptotic LECs were significantly increased in the DM group compared with the control group, however, they were significantly decreased in the DM + NGF group. In conclusion, topical NGF could delay the progression of diabetic cataracts by attenuating polyol pathway activation and increasing Na+/K+-ATPase protein levels.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Diabetic cataract; Nerve growth factor.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

Publication types

MeSH terms