Abstract
Circulating autoantibodies against lens antigens are prevalent in patients with age-related cataract (ARC), but their pathogenic significance is unknown. We hypothesized that these autoantibodies are cytotoxic for lens epithelial cells (LECs). To test this hypothesis, we incubated LECs with mouse polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies against β-crystallin (anti-β) in the presence or absence of guinea pig complement. We found that anti-β in the presence of the complement bound to and killed mouse LECs (MLECs) and human LECs (HLECs). Sera obtained from patients with ARC also were cytotoxic to both HLECs and MLECs in culture. Heat-inactivated human sera were not cytotoxic to LECs in the absence of the complement, but were cytotoxic to both HLECs and MLECs in the presence of additional complement. These results support the hypothesis that autoantibodies against lens antigens are cytotoxic to LECs, and that cell death may involve complement-mediated pathways.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 229-238 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Experimental Eye Research |
Volume | 64 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1997 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- TGF-β
- age-related cataract
- autoantibodies
- classical pathway
- complement
- human sera
- β-crystallin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
- Sensory Systems
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience