Lens is a transparent tissue that lacks vasculature. Transmembrane water channels known as aquaporins (AQPs) play a significant role in maintaining transparency and homeostasis in the avascular lens. Mutations in AQP0 result in lens cataract in both human and mouse;knockout leads to cataract in mouse. Our long term goal is to contribute to the treatment and prevention of lens cataract. In this proposal, we are directing our focus on AQP0. At least two functions have been attributed for AQP0 viz., water permeability and cell-to-cell adhesion. Water permeability has been proven authentically through in vitro and in vivo studies while cell-to-cell adhesion function remains hypothetical;moreover, it is controversial whether intact as well as cleaved forms of AQP0 function both as a water pore and a cell-to-cell adhesion protein. The goals of this proposal is to critically experiment and clearly define whether AQP0 functions as a cell-to-cell adhesion protein, whether intact as well as the N- or and C- terminus cleaved forms function both as a water pore and a cell-to-cell adhesion protein (Aim 1), whether the extracellular loops play a critical role in cell-to-cell adhesion (Aim 2), whether the calmodulin-binding domain has a role with regard to adhesion function (Aim 3) and whether the function/s of AQP0 can be replaced by knocking in AQP4 which is proven to have both water permeability and cell-to-cell adhesion function (Aim 4). A novel method developed will be used to study the cell-to-cell adhesion function of the different forms of AQP0. Involvement of extracellular loop in cell-to-cell adhesion and the role of calmodulin binding domain for the functions of AQP0 will be studied using site-directed mutagenesis and PCR-based domain swapping. Computer based molecular simulation will be performed as necessary for mutagenesis studies. Knock-in animal models will be developed to test the in vivo outcome of the in vitro findings. The objectives will be pursued using structure-function approach and performing cytological, biochemical and molecular biological experiments as appropriate to verify the results.

Public Health Relevance

Lens cataract is responsible for majority of the loss of sight in the United States and ranks #1 globally with over 20 million people around the world already blinded and an additional 1.25 million added to the total each year;age-related cataract by itself accounts for more than 48% of loss of vision scenarios. Lens cataract caused by AQP0 falls in the category of conformational diseases (proteopathies) as they are mainly caused by missense mutations or age related protein misfolding, aggregation and cytotoxicity and main goal of this project is to provide new insights into the structure-related functional roles of AQP0, the most abundant integral membrane protein in the lens, for maintaining transparency and homeostasis. This investigation will contribute to an improved understanding of normal lens development and aging processes, and help to design and develop therapeutic compounds/drugs for congenital and senile cataracts in humans.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY020506-04
Application #
8443425
Study Section
Anterior Eye Disease Study Section (AED)
Program Officer
Araj, Houmam H
Project Start
2010-04-01
Project End
2014-03-31
Budget Start
2013-04-01
Budget End
2014-03-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$357,960
Indirect Cost
$129,960
Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794
Kumari, S Sindhu; Varadaraj, Murali; Menon, Anil G et al. (2018) Aquaporin 5 promotes corneal wound healing. Exp Eye Res 172:152-158
Varadaraj, Kulandaiappan; Kumari, S Sindhu (2018) Molecular mechanism of Aquaporin 0-induced fiber cell to fiber cell adhesion in the eye lens. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 506:284-289
Kumari, Sindhu; Gao, Junyuan; Mathias, Richard T et al. (2017) Aquaporin 0 Modulates Lens Gap Junctions in the Presence of Lens-Specific Beaded Filament Proteins. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 58:6006-6019
Patil, Rajkumar V; Xu, Shouxi; van Hoek, Alfred N et al. (2016) Rapid Identification of Novel Inhibitors of the Human Aquaporin-1 Water Channel. Chem Biol Drug Des 87:794-805
Sindhu Kumari, S; Gupta, Neha; Shiels, Alan et al. (2015) Role of Aquaporin 0 in lens biomechanics. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 462:339-45
Kumari, S Sindhu; Varadaraj, Kulandaiappan (2014) Aquaporin 0 plays a pivotal role in refractive index gradient development in mammalian eye lens to prevent spherical aberration. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 452:986-91
Sindhu Kumari, S; Varadaraj, Kulandaiappan (2014) Intact and N- or C-terminal end truncated AQP0 function as open water channels and cell-to-cell adhesion proteins: end truncation could be a prelude for adjusting the refractive index of the lens to prevent spherical aberration. Biochim Biophys Acta 1840:2862-77
Kumari, Sindhu S; Gandhi, Jason; Mustehsan, Mohammed H et al. (2013) Functional characterization of an AQP0 missense mutation, R33C, that causes dominant congenital lens cataract, reveals impaired cell-to-cell adhesion. Exp Eye Res 116:371-85
Sindhu Kumari, S; Varadaraj, Kulandaiappan (2013) Aquaporin 5 knockout mouse lens develops hyperglycemic cataract. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 441:333-8
Gao, Junyuan; Wang, Huan; Sun, Xiurong et al. (2013) The effects of age on lens transport. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 54:7174-87

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