Difference in redox status of serum and aqueous humor in senile cataract patients as monitored via the albumin thiol-redox state.
Palabras clave
Abstracto
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the redox states of the aqueous humor and serum in senile cataract patients.
METHODS
We analyzed the reduced and oxidized albumin fractions in 58 patients. The patients had no detectable evidence of other eye or systemic diseases and were divided into two age groups (53-75 and 76-96 years). Analysis was performed with a high-performance liquid chromatographic system with a fluorescence detector.
RESULTS
Extremely small amounts of reduced albumin (3.8% and 3.6% in the younger and older groups, respectively) and markedly large amounts of oxidized albumin (96.2% and 96.4%, respectively) were found in the aqueous humor. Moreover, a higher percentage of oxidized albumin, particularly a highly oxidized irreversible form of albumin, was found in the aqueous humor (12.3% and 12.0%) than in the serum (2.4% and 3.0%).
CONCLUSIONS
In senile cataract patients with no complications, the redox state of albumin in the aqueous humor differs considerably, both quantitatively and qualitatively, from that in the serum.
