Studies Of The Protective Effect Of Heat Shock Protein 27 On Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Injury Of Human Lens Epithelial Cells

IntroductionOptiomal vision is highly dependent on the clarity of the ocular lens. It has been established that lens transparency is maintained by the supramolecular organization of its constituent proteins. Preservation of this organization is maintained by the fidelity of native proteins. Quarternary protein structure depends on proper folding of newly synthesize polypeptides, and adequate protection from environmental or pathophysiological stress. Destabilization of native protein organization induces opacity of the lens. Thus a detailed understanding of how lens proteins retain their native structure for sustained period of time is essential. Furthermore the lens, by its unique anatomical location, is continuously exposed to a stressful environment. The lens has no direct blood supply, thus essential biologically important molecules such as oxygen or amino acids are limited, while waste products such as toxins or inflammatory substances remain in close proximity for extended periods of time. Therefore, the lens needs continuous protection against microenvironmentally - induced stress. Without such protection lens proteins could degrade causing cataract.Heat shock protein 27 is one of the small heat shock proteins which are considered to be molecular chaperones that bind to unfolded and denatured proteins , promoting their re - folding and correct assembly. So the objectives of our experiments included:1. The effects of heat and oxidative stress on heat shock protein 27 of tissue cultured human lens epithelial cells were investigated to try to find out the patho-genesis of the cataract.2. To study the mechanism and the effect of heat shock pretreatment on hydrogen peroxide induced injury of human lens epithelial cells.3. To investigate the role of P38MAPK signaling pathway in hydrogen peroxide (H202) induced the expression of heat shock protein 27 in human lens epithelial cell line.Methods1. The human lens epithelial cells were cultured in DMEM medium with 15% FBSf37