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      Antioxidant Delivery Pathways in the Anterior Eye

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          Abstract

          Tissues in the anterior segment of the eye are particular vulnerable to oxidative stress. To minimise oxidative stress, ocular tissues utilise a range of antioxidant defence systems which include nonenzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in combination with repair and chaperone systems. However, as we age our antioxidant defence systems are overwhelmed resulting in increased oxidative stress and damage to tissues of the eye and the onset of various ocular pathologies such as corneal opacities, lens cataracts, and glaucoma. While it is well established that nonenzymatic antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and glutathione are important in protecting ocular tissues from oxidative stress, less is known about the delivery mechanisms used to accumulate these endogenous antioxidants in the different tissues of the eye. This review aims to summarise what is currently known about the antioxidant transport pathways in the anterior eye and how a deeper understanding of these transport systems with respect to ocular physiology could be used to increase antioxidant levels and delay the onset of eye diseases.

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          Most cited references97

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          Oxidative stress-induced cataract: mechanism of action.

          This review examines the hypothesis that oxidative stress is an initiating factor for the development of maturity onset cataract and describes the events leading to lens opacification. Data are reviewed that indicate that extensive oxidation of lens protein and lipid is associated with human cataract found in older individuals whereas little oxidation (and only in membrane components) is found in control subjects of similar age. A significant proportion of lenses and aqueous humor taken from cataract patients have elevated H2O2 levels. Because H2O2, at concentrations found in cataract, can cause lens opacification and produces a pattern of oxidation similar to that found in cataract, it is concluded that H2O2 is the major oxidant involved in cataract formation. This viewpoint is further supported by experiments showing that cataract formation in organ culture caused by photochemically generated superoxide radical, H2O2, and hydroxyl radical is completely prevented by the addition of a GSH peroxidase mimic. The damage caused by oxidative stress does not appear to be reversible and there is an inverse relationship between the stress period and the time required for loss of transparency and degeneration of biochemical parameters such as ATP, GPD, nonprotein thiol, and hydration. After exposure to oxidative stress, the redox set point of the single layer of the lens epithelial cells (but not the remainder of the lens) quickly changes, going from a strongly reducing to an oxidizing environment. Almost concurrent with this change is extensive damage to DNA and membrane pump systems, followed by loss of epithelial cell viability and death by necrotic and apoptotic mechanisms. The data suggest that the epithelial cell layer is the initial site of attack by oxidative stress and that involvement of the lens fibers follows, leading to cortical cataract.
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            The trabecular meshwork outflow pathways: structural and functional aspects.

            Ernst Tamm (2009)
            The major drainage structures for aqueous humor (AH) are the conventional or trabecular outflow pathways, which are comprised of the trabecular meshwork (made up by the uveal and corneoscleral meshworks), the juxtacanalicular connective tissue (JCT), the endothelial lining of Schlemm's canal (SC), the collecting channels and the aqueous veins. The trabecular meshwork (TM) outflow pathways are critical in providing resistance to AH outflow and in generating intraocular pressure (IOP). Outflow resistance in the TM outflow pathways increases with age and primary open-angle glaucoma. Uveal and corneoscleral meshworks form connective tissue lamellae or beams that are covered by flat TM cells which rest on a basal lamina. TM cells in the JCT are surrounded by fibrillar elements of the extracellular matrix (ECM) to form a loose connective tissue. In contrast to the other parts of the TM, JCT cells and ECM fibrils do not form lamellae, but are arranged more irregularly. SC inner wall endothelial cells form giant vacuoles in response to AH flow, as well as intracellular and paracellular pores. In addition, minipores that are covered with a diaphragm are observed. There is considerable evidence that normal AH outflow resistance resides in the inner wall region of SC, which is formed by the JCT and SC inner wall endothelium. Modulation of TM cell tone by the action of their actomyosin system affects TM outflow resistance. In addition, the architecture of the TM outflow pathways and consequently outflow resistance appear to be modulated by contraction of ciliary muscle and scleral spur cells. The scleral spur contains axons that innervate scleral spur cells or that have the ultrastructural characteristics of mechanosensory nerve endings.
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              Structure, expression, and functional analysis of a Na(+)-dependent glutamate/aspartate transporter from rat brain.

              Transport systems specific for L-glutamate and L-aspartate play an important role in the termination of neurotransmitter signals at excitatory synapses. We describe here the structure and function of a 66-kDa glycoprotein that was purified from rat brain and identified as an L-glutamate/L-aspartate transporter (GLAST). A GLAST-specific cDNA clone was isolated from a rat brain cDNA library. The cDNA insert encodes a polypeptide with 543 amino acid residues (59,697 Da). The amino acid sequence of GLAST suggests a distinctive structure and membrane topology, with some conserved motifs also present in prokaryotic glutamate transporters. The transporter function has been verified by amino acid uptake studies in the Xenopus laevis oocyte system. GLAST is specific for L-glutamate and L-aspartate, shows strict dependence on Na+ ions, and is inhibited by DL-threo-3-hydroxy-aspartate. In situ hybridization reveals a strikingly high density of GLAST mRNA in the Purkinje cell layer of cerebellum, presumably in the Bergmann glia cells, and a less dense distribution throughout the cerebrum. These data suggest that GLAST may be involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter concentration in central nervous system.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Biomed Res Int
                Biomed Res Int
                BMRI
                BioMed Research International
                Hindawi Publishing Corporation
                2314-6133
                2314-6141
                2013
                26 September 2013
                : 2013
                : 207250
                Affiliations
                1Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
                2New Zealand National Eye Centre, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
                3School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
                Author notes

                Academic Editor: Chitra Kannabiran

                Author information
                http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9616-1324
                http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4008-1138
                http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6307-7297
                Article
                10.1155/2013/207250
                3804153
                24187660
                c8ed5a83-e417-4378-a196-e2b954d5bf66
                Copyright © 2013 Ankita Umapathy et al.

                This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 2 May 2013
                : 8 August 2013
                Categories
                Review Article

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