Instrumental development is proposed for a prototype in situ Raman/fluorescence probe and for an automated Raman/fluorescence microprobe (10-20 Mum resolution; 1Mum or less is possible) surface scanning system. The first technique will be applied to five (5) rabbits' eyes to investigate the effects of repetitive near UV exposure on the -SH level, and to compare the rates of fluorophor production between exposed and unexposed lenses of the same animal. It is to test the hypothesis that in a non-rodent system the -SH level decrease at an accelerated rate precedes the development of visible opacity. The second technique will obtain useful information about detailed distributions of lens constituents and fluorophors on lens slices. The full topograph of either Raman or fluorescence signals from the surface of a lens section should reveal the differences between cataractous and noncataractous microareas of the same lens. It is proposed to pursue the finding that the red fluorescence which is highly characteristic of brunescent cataract can be generated by near UV irradiation of a mixture of 3-OH kynurenine and Gamma-crystallin. Specifically we propose: 1) to examine the nature of photochemical reactions between Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-crystallins; 2) to investigate the photoreactivity and formation of new fluorophors from 3-OH kynurenine which has been diffused into the rat lens; 3) to compare the fluorescence properties of these fluorophors and the red fluorophors detected in older and brunescent human lens by laser Raman instrumentation; and 4) to explore the nature of the electronic state responsible for red fluorescence. Other studies include variations of sulfhydryl along VA for normal human lenses between 58 and 100-year of age, and Raman evidence for disulfide and methionine sulfoxide formation in human senile cataract.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY001746-10
Application #
3256175
Study Section
Visual Sciences A Study Section (VISA)
Project Start
1979-05-01
Project End
1988-04-30
Budget Start
1985-05-01
Budget End
1986-04-30
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Georgia Institute of Technology
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
097394084
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30332
Lo, W K; Kuck, J F; Shaw, A P et al. (1993) The altricial pigeon is born blind with a transient glycogen cataract. Exp Eye Res 56:121-6
Castillo, C G; Lo, W K; Kuck, J F et al. (1992) Nature and localization of avian lens glycogen by electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Biophys J 61:839-44
Yu, N T; Cai, M Z; Lee, B S et al. (1991) Resonance Raman detection of a carotenoid in the lens of the deep-sea hatchetfish. Exp Eye Res 52:475-9
Zigman, S; Paxhia, T; McDaniel, T et al. (1991) Effect of chronic near-ultraviolet radiation on the gray squirrel lens in vivo. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 32:1723-32
Chen, W L; Nie, S M; Kuck Jr, J F et al. (1991) Near-infrared Fourier transform Raman and conventional Raman studies of calf gamma-crystallins in the lyophilized state and in solution. Biophys J 60:447-55
Kuck, J F (1990) Late onset hereditary cataract of the emory mouse. A model for human senile cataract. Exp Eye Res 50:659-64
Yu, N T; Bando, M; Kuck Jr, J F (1990) Localization of UV-induced changes in mouse lens. Exp Eye Res 50:327-9
Nie, S M; Bergbauer, K L; Kuck Jr, J F et al. (1990) Near-infrared Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy in human lens research. Exp Eye Res 51:619-23
Cai, M Z; Kuck Jr, J F; Yu, N T (1989) Galactose-induced cataract in rat: Raman detection of sulfhydryl decrease and water increase along an equatorial diameter. Exp Eye Res 49:531-41
Yu, N T; Barron, B C; Kuck Jr, J F (1989) Distribution of two metabolically related fluorophors in human lens measured by laser microprobe. Exp Eye Res 49:189-94

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