In vitro filament-like formation upon interaction between lens alpha-crystallin and betaL-crystallin promoted by stress.

Abstract

Crystallin hybrids have previously been detected in the water-soluble lens crystallin fraction. Our findings indicate that such endogenous hybrids, formerly called "rods," may result from stress-induced interaction between alpha-crystallin and other lens constituents such as betaL-crystallin. Because the hybrid formation is enhanced when alpha-crystallin from UV-A-irradiated lenses is used as one of the two components of the hybrid, one can only speculate that this formation may be one of the factors leading to UV-A cataract.