Abstract
Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness and visual dysfunction in the world. Cataractogenesis is a highly complex, multifactorial process. Epidemiologic studies have shown that potential risk factors include age, sex female, exposure to ultraviolet light, smoking, diabetes, and oxidative stress (1)(2)(3)(4). Opacification of the ocular lens may be initiated or promoted by oxidative damage, and data in the literature support an important role of oxidative damage in cataract formation (5)(6). Although animal experiments show evidence for a protective role of antioxidants (7)(8), the association between low concentrations of antioxidants and increased risk of cataracts remains controversial. Whereas some studies have demonstrated such associations, others have not (9)(10). Isoprostanes are a complex family of compounds produced from arachidonic acid. One of the isoprostanes, 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), belongs to a family of eicosanoids of nonenzymatic origin (11). 8-Iso-PGF2α has been widely used as a valid marker of oxidative stress (12)(13). Several methods are currently used to quantify 8-iso-PGF2α, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (14)(15), but their cost and technologic requirements limit their routine use. Recently, immunoassays have also been developed to measure 8-iso-PGF2α (16)(17). Koliakos et al. (18) found that the mean concentration of 8-iso-PGF2α in the aqueous humor from cataract patients with exfoliation syndrome was higher than in patients with cataracts only. However, no study has evaluated plasma 8-iso-PGF2α concentrations in cataract patients. In this study, we used an enzyme immunoassay to measure the plasma concentrations of 8-iso-PGF2α in patients with age-related cataracts and in age/sex frequency-matched controls to explore the potential role of systemic oxidative status in the development of cataracts. …
Published Version
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