Immunochemical Detection of Advanced Glycation End Products in Lens Crystallins From Streptozocin-Induced Diabetic Rat

To reassess the significance of AGEs in cataract formation in diabetic animals, we measured amounts of AGEs in lens crystallins from STZ-induced diabetic animals with a newly developed ELISA. Lenses were removed at 5 and 20 wk after STZ injection. In 20-wk diabetic rats, all lenses were cataractous but not in control rats. In 20-wk diabetic compared with control rats, significant increases were observed in AGEs (172.3 ± 18.3 vs. 14.3 ± 1.7 All, P P 12-fold higher in diabetic rats. In agreement with earlier studies, we found that fluorescence in lens crystallins increased by 61% in diabetic rats. In 5-wk diabetic rats, all lenses were noncataractous. In 5-wk diabetic compared with control rats, significant increases were observed in AGEs (84.1 ± 7.7 vs. 9.4 ± 1.5 AU, P P