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. 1997 Dec 15;328(Pt 3):763–768. doi: 10.1042/bj3280763

Effect of aging on the chaperone-like function of human alpha-crystallin assessed by three methods.

B K Derham 1, J J Harding 1
PMCID: PMC1218984  PMID: 9396718

Abstract

alpha-Crystallin can function as a molecular chaperone by preventing unwanted interactions. This paper presents the effects of aging and cataract on the chaperone-like properties of alpha-crystallin from soluble fractions from the cortex and nucleus of human lenses by using three assays: enzyme inactivation and two turbidity experiments. The three methods complemented each other. There was no decrease with age of chaperone-like function of cortical alpha-low and alpha-high crystallin. Nuclear alpha-low crystallin showed a decrease, whereas alpha-high crystallin showed no age-related change but its protective effect was diminished. Results from the nucleus of 40-year-old cataractous lenses seemed similar to those for clear lenses of equivalent age, whereas 80-year-old cataractous lenses showed decreased chaperone-like behaviour.

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Selected References

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