X-Message-Number: 11914
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1999 03:26:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: pyruvate may prevent cataracts

Authors
  Varma SD.  Ramachandran S.  Devamanoharan PS.  Morris SM.  Ali AH.
Institution
  University of Maryland at Baltimore, School of Medicine, Department of
  Ophthalmology 21201, USA.
Title
  Prevention of oxidative
  damage to rat lens by pyruvate in vitro: possible
  attenuation in vivo.
Source
  Current Eye Research.  14(8):643-9, 1995 Aug.
Abstract
  Studies have been conducted to assess the possible preventive effect of
  pyruvate against lens protein oxidation and consequent denaturation and
  insolubilization. Rat lens organ culture system was used for these studies.
  The content of water insoluble proteins (urea soluble) increased if the
  lenses were cultured in medium containing hydrogen peroxide. Incorporation of
  pyruvate in the medium prevented such insolubilization. The insolubilization
  was associated primarily with loss of gamma crystallin fraction of the
  soluble proteins. PAGE analysis demonstrated that insolubilization is related
  to -S-S- bond formation which was preventable by pyruvate. Since pyruvate is
  a normal tissue metabolite the findings are considered pathophysiologically
  significant against cataract formation. This was apparent by the
  prevention of selenite cataract in vivo by intraperitoneal
  administration of pyruvate.

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