The complete amino acid sequence of bovine S antigen (48-kDa protein) has been determined by cDNA and partial amino acid sequencing. A 1623-base-pair (bp) cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for a protein of 404 amino acids (45,275 Da). Tryptic peptides and cyanogen bromide peptides of native bovine S antigen were purified and partially sequenced. All of these peptides were accounted for in the long open reading frame. Searching of the National Biomedical Research Foundation data bank revealed no extensive sequence homology between S antigen and other proteins. However, there are local regions of sequence similarity with a transducin, including the sites subject to ADP-ribosylation by Bordetella pertussis and cholera toxins and the phosphoryl binding-sites. Secondary structure prediction and circular dichroic spectroscopy show that S antigen is composed predominantly of a-sheet conformation. Acid-catalyzed methanolysis suggests the presence of low levels of carbohydrate in the molecule.

Age-related cataracts are closely associated with lens chronological aging, oxidation, calcium imbalance, hydration and crystallin modifications. Accumulating evidence indicates that misfolded proteins are generated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by most cataractogenic stresses. To eliminate misfolded proteins from cells before they can induce senescence, the cells activate a clean-up machinery called the ER stress/unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR also activates the nuclear factor- erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a central transcriptional factor for cytoprotection against stress. Nrf2 activates nearly 600 cytoprotective target genes. However, if ER stress reaches critically high levels, the UPR activates destructive outputs to trigger programmed cell death. The UPR activates mobilization of ER-Ca2+ to the cytoplasm and results in activation of Ca2+-dependent proteases to cleave various enzymes and proteins which cause the loss of normal lens function. The UPR also enhances the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage lens constituents and induce failure of the Nrf2 dependent cytoprotection. Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) is an oxygen sensor protein and regulates the levels of Nrf2 by the proteasomal degradation. A significant loss of DNA methylation in diabetic cataracts was found in the Keap1 promoter, which overexpresses the Keap1 protein. Overexpressed Keap1 significantly decreases the levels of Nrf2. Lower levels of Nrf2 induces loss of the redox balance toward to oxidative stress thereby leading to failure of lens cytoprotection. Here, this review summarizes the overall view of ER stress, increases in Ca2+ levels, protein cleavage, and loss of the well-established stress protection in somatic lens cells.

Regulatory sequences and nuclear factors governing tissue-restricted expression of the mouse arrestin gene were investigated. The results showed that while proximal promoter sequence positions -38 to +304 are sufficient to direct low levels of retina-specific gene expression, sequences extending upstream to position -209 support higher levels of expression in the retina, as well as detectable expression in the lens, pineal gland, and brain. Within the interval between positions -209 and -38, a broadly expressed nuclear factor, Bd, binds to sequences centered between positions -205 and -185, a region which contains two direct repeats of the hexamer, TGACCT. The proximal promoter binds three apparently retina-specific nuclear factors, Bpl, Bp2, and Bp3, through overlapping sequences centered between positions -25 and -15. Bpl and Bp3 also recognize a closely related sequence found in the promoter regions of several other vertebrate photoreceptor-specific genes. Moreover, the consensus binding site for Bpl, designated PCE I, is identical to RCS I, an element known to play a critical role in eliciting photoreceptor-specific gene expression in DrosophUia melanogaster. The results suggest that PCE I and RCS I are functionally as well as structurally similar and that, despite marked differences in the fly and vertebrate visual systems, the transcriptional machinery involved in photoreceptorspecific gene expression has been strongly evolutionarily conserved.

Age-related cataracts are a leading cause of blindness. Previously, we have demonstrated the association of unfolded protein response with various cataractogenic stressors. However, DNA methylation alterations leading to suppression of lenticular antioxidant protection remains unclear. Here, we report the methylglyoxal-mediated sequential events responsible for Keap1 promoter DNA demethylation in human lens epithelial cells, because Keap1 is a negative regulatory protein that regulates the Nrf2 antioxidant protein. Methylglyoxal induces the ER stress and activates the unfolded protein response leading to overproduction of ROS prior to human lens epithelial cells death. Methylglyoxal also suppresses the Nrf2 and DNA methyltransferases but activates the DNA demethylation pathway enzyme, TET1. Bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing confirms the methylglyoxal-mediated Keap1 promoter DNA demethylation leading to over-expression of Keap1 mRNA and protein. Similarly, bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing of human clear lenses (n=15) slowly lose 5-methylcytosine in the Keap1 promoter throughout life, at a rate of 1% per year. By contrast, diabetic cataractous lenses (n=21) lose an average of 90% of the 5-methylcytosine regardless of the age. Over-expressed Keap1 protein is responsible for decreasing the Nrf2 by proteasomal degradation, thereby suppressing the Nrf2 dependent stress protection. This study demonstrates for the first time about the associations of unfolded protein response activation, Nrf2 dependent antioxidant system failure and loss of Keap1 promoter methylation because of altered active and passive DNA demethylation pathway enzymes in human lens epithelial cells by methylglyoxal. As an outcome, cellular redox balance is altered towards lens oxidation and cataract formation.