Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0086543 (cataract)
 29,165 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

zeta-Crystallin is a major protein in the lens of certain mammals. In guinea pigs it comprises 10% of the total lens protein, and it has been shown that a mutation in the zeta-crystallin gene is associated with autosomal dominant congenital cataract. As with several other lens crystallins of limited phylogenetic distribution, zeta-crystallin has been characterized as an "enzyme/crystallin" based on its ability to reduce catalytically the electron acceptor 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. We report here that certain naturally occurring quinones are good substrates for the enzymatic activity of zeta-crystallin. Among the various quinones tested, the orthoquinones 1,2-naphthoquinone and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone were the best substrates whereas menadione, ubiquinone, 9,10-anthraquinone, vitamins K1 and K2 were inactive as substrates. This quinone reductase activity was NADPH specific and exhibited typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Activity was sensitive to heat and sulfhydryl reagents but was very stable on freezing. Dicumarol (Ki = 1.3 x 10(-5) M) and nitrofurantoin (Ki = 1.4 x 10(-5) M) inhibited the activity competitively with respect to the electron acceptor, quinone. NADPH protected the enzyme against inactivation caused by heat, N-ethylmaleimide, or H2O2. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the reaction products showed formation of a semiquinone radical. The enzyme activity was associated with O2 consumption, generation of O2- and H2O2, and reduction of ferricytochrome c. These properties indicate that the enzyme acts through a one-electron transfer process. The substrate specificity, reaction characteristics, and physicochemical properties of zeta-crystallin demonstrate that it is an active NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase distinct from quinone reductases described previously.
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PMID:Identification and characterization of the enzymatic activity of zeta-crystallin from guinea pig lens. A novel NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase. 137 Apr 56

Maturity onset cataract is a disease that afflicts >25% of the U.S. population over 65. Oxidative stress is believed to be a major factor in the development of this disease and peroxides are suspected to be prominent stressing agents. To elucidate mechanisms involved in the protection of cells against oxidative stress, immortal murine lens epithelial cells (alphaTN4-1) have been conditioned to survive lethal concentrations of either tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, TBOOH (a lipid peroxide prototype) (T cells), or H2O2 (H cells). It was found that T cells survived exposure to H2O2 but H cells were killed by TBOOH. In this communication, biological characteristics of the T cells are reported. It is shown that the T cell's ability to survive TBOOH is lost if the cells are grown in the absence of this peroxide (denoted as T- cells). By comparing the differential gene expression of 12,422 genes and ESTs from T and T- and the unconditioned control cells, 16 genes were found that may account for the loss of resistance to TBOOH. They include 5 glutathione-S-transferases, superoxide dismutase 1, zeta crystallin, a NADPH quinone reductase, as well as genes involved in detoxifying aldehydes, controlling iron metabolism, and degrading toxic lipoproteins.
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PMID:The effect of stress withdrawal on gene expression and certain biochemical and cell biological properties of peroxide-conditioned cell lines. 1500 93