| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 1998 | Volume
: 46
| Issue : 4 | Page : 233-237 |
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Flavin nucleotides in human lens: Regional distribution in Brunescent cataracts
K Seetharam Bhat, Sujatha Nayak
National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad, India
Correspondence Address:
K Seetharam Bhat
Department of Biochemistry, National Institute of Nutrition, Jamai Osmania PO, Hyderabad - 500 007
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 10218307 
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The biochemical mechanism(s) underlying brunescent cataracts remain unclear. Oxidative stress due to reactive oxygen species may have a role in the pigmentation process in eye lens. We have analysed human cataractous lenses for flavins by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), since flavins are light sensitive and act as endogenous sensitizers generating reactive oxygen species in the eye. The most significant observation in this study is that higher levels of flavin nucleotides occur in brown lens compared to yellow lens. The concentration of flavin nucleotides (flavin monouncleotide, FMN + flavin adenine dinucleotide, FAD) was highest in the nuclear region of the lens followed by the cortical and capsule-epithelial regions. However, the ratio of FAD/FMN was lowest in the nuclear region of the lens followed by other regions. On the other hand, riboflavin was not detected in any of the lens (cataractous) regions. These results suggest that the observed increase in flavin nucleotides in the ocular tissue could contribute towards deepening of lens pigmentation. |
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