FIGURE 6.

αB-Crystallin peptides inhibit cataracts in rats. The experimental details are identical to those given in Fig. 5, except that the animals were injected with either the αB-native peptide or αB-acetyl peptide. The bottom panels show the results from rats treated with multiple injections (10 μg/animal) of the scrambled αA-crystallin peptide. The native and acetyl αB-crystallin peptides exhibited a similar potency in inhibiting selenite-induced cataracts. In each treatment group, n = 3. The data shown are from one representative animal/group. Mild inhibition of cataract was evident following treatment with 5 μg of the acetyl peptide, but not the native peptide. Following multiple injections at 10 μg, both peptides inhibited cataract development. αB, αB-native peptide; αB(a), αB-acetyl peptide; and αA(s), αA-scrambled peptide. The scrambled peptide was ineffective in inhibiting cataract.