Lens capsule and secondary cataract

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Extracapsular cataract surgery leaves the lens capsule mostly intact, which permits implantation of an intraocular lens (IOL). This procedure often leaves behind epithelial cells in the remaining anterior and equatorial capsule, which in time, proliferate and migrate to the posterior capsule. This aberrant growth of epithelial cells, together with transdifferentiation into a mesenchymal phenotype (EMT), leads to posterior capsule opacification (PCO). PCO impairs vision and requires laser treatment for resolution. With the advent of newer and more refined IOLs, the incidence of PCO has decreased; however, a significant number of cataract patients return for PCO treatment. The increasing use of accommodative IOLs could cause the number of returning patients to increase because of the reduced barrier for epithelial cells. Despite many years of research, the biochemical mechanisms of PCO are not well understood. Glycation is a major chemical modifier of extracellular matrix proteins. The reaction occurs between protein amino groups and carbonyl compounds and leads to the formation of stable adducts on proteins, collectively known as Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The lens capsule is a basement membrane secreted by epithelial cells, and like other basement membranes, it accumulates AGEs with age. Based on our preliminary data, we hypothesize that AGEs in capsule proteins hinder the adhesion and migration of epithelial cells and induce their transdifferentiation to a mesenchymal cell type. In this proposal, we plan to investigate the biochemical and molecular mechanisms by which AGEs play a role in PCO with three aims. In Aim 1, we will determine the relationship between cataract and AGE content in human lens capsules. In Aim 2, we will define the biochemical pathways by which capsule AGEs influence epithelial cell adhesion, proliferation, and migration, and then investigate alterations in cell signaling that are responsible for the aberrant behavior o lens epithelial cells. In Aim 3, we will determine the effect of capsule AGEs on EMT in lens epithelial cells and explore the possibility of inhibiting PCO by blocking the interaction of AGE with its receptor on lens epithelial cells. Completion of these aims will uncover a mechanism of PCO, and will provide a foundation for the development of more effective therapies to prevent PCO.