Navigation Links
MU researchers find clue to cataract formation
Date:4/17/2008

COLUMBIA, Mo. It is the No. 1 line-item cost of Medicare reimbursement and affects more than 20 million people in the United States. Cataracts, which can have devastating effects on the eye, affect 42 percent of the population between the ages of 70 and 80, and 68 percent of the population over the age of 80, according to the National Eye Institute. Now, a University of Missouri professor has identified an important step in how cataracts form. This discovery, published in a recent edition of The Journal of Biological Chemistry, could lead to a better treatment or cure for cataracts in the future.

In his study, K. Krishna Sharma, professor of ophthalmology at MU, found that a specific type of protein begins to lose function as the eye ages. As the protein loses function, small peptides, made of 10 to 15 amino acids, start forming and accelerate cataract formation in the eye.

It is very helpful to track the formation of these peptides, Sharma said. The next step is to work on preventing their formation. If we are successful, we could delay the aging process in the eye. A ten-year delay in the onset of cataracts could decrease the number of cataract surgeries by 45 percent, thus significantly decreasing vision care cost. Currently, 1.5 million to 2 million cataract surgeries are completed yearly.

About 50 percent of the lens is made of proteins, and 90 percent of the proteins are structures known as crystallins. One of the main functions of the crystallins is to maintain the clarity of the lens through an activity known as chaperoning. In a healthy eye, crystallins break down over time, eventually degrading to small peptides. The peptides are then cleared from the eye with the help of other proteins.

As the eye ages, small peptides start to form at an increasing rate. As the number of small peptides increases in the eye, chaperone activity starts to decrease, resulting in less cleansing activity inside the lens. As the small
'/>"/>

Contact: Christian Basi
BasiC@missouri.edu
573-882-4430
University of Missouri-Columbia
Source:Eurekalert

5

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Researchers evaluating food allergy treatment
2. U of M researchers identify process that may help treat Parkinsons, spinal cord injuries
3. OHSU Cancer Institute researchers discover key gene involvement in cancer development
4. Combining liver cancer treatments doubles survival rates, UVA researchers find
5. Leading HIV researchers to collaborate on vaccine development
6. Georgetown researchers find stem cell marker controls 2 key cancer pathways
7. Blood pressure drugs halt pancreatic cancer cell growth, Jefferson researchers find
8. OHSU Cancer Institute researchers find connection between protein, prognosis in breast cancer
9. Karmanos Researchers Report Enhanced Chemosensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Black Seed Component
10. Penn researchers find targeted therapy combination overcomes treatment resistance in liver cancer
11. Researchers find disparities in depression among older Hispanics in US
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/25/2013)... May 25, 2013 A disorder of ... of peripheral neuropathy. According to neuropathy expert doctor Helen ... is estimated that the disorder affects almost 50% of ... arising from Diabetes. The high blood sugar levels in ... patients suffering from it usually tend to have abnormally ...
(Date:5/25/2013)... Many viruses and parasites that affect both dogs and ... illness than can result in liver or kidney failure ... a veterinarian. These germs could be found ... Dr. Susan Nelson, a clinical associate professor at Kansas ... diseases can be fatal, even with treatment," she said ...
(Date:5/25/2013)... The report “Global Food Encapsulation ... Applications, Ingredients, Shell Materials, Packaging, & Geography: Trends ... encapsulation market with analysis and forecasting of the ... the driving and restraining factors for the global ... and challenges. The market is segmented and revenue ...
(Date:5/25/2013)... Studies from Johns Hopkins University reveal ... weight and their inability to get adequate sleep. These ... can naturally relieve many symptoms. , Johns Hopkins ... quality was significantly associated with overall weight loss, especially ... dated November 6th, 2012, researchers monitored 77 participants who ...
(Date:5/25/2013)... Absolute Surgical Specialists, serving Sun City Center ... businesses throughout the country participating in Shop Local for a ... nationwide event as he understands what military families go through ... He said, “I wanted to give something back, as I ... live here too.” , Shop Local for a Cause has ...
Breaking Medicine News(10 mins):Health News:Diabetic Neuropathy treatment hits new grounds- Neuracel launches the complete natural treatment 2Health News:Hidden Dangers Dog Dog Parks 2Health News:Food Encapsulation Market to Reach $42 Billion by 2016 - New Report by MarketsandMarkets 2Health News:Food Encapsulation Market to Reach $42 Billion by 2016 - New Report by MarketsandMarkets 3Health News:hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diets & Weight Loss Plans Offers Newly Improved hCG Diet Plans Capable of Delivering Better Sleep 2Health News:Dr. Craig Amshel of Absolute Surgical Specialists Offering Bowel Prep During the Shop Local for a Cause Event 2
... of the tunnel for HRT therapy. The Society of Obstetricians ... symptoms of menopause, vouching its safety.// ,Dr. Jennifer ... be a reprieve for women who have been utterly confused ... that HRT could increase the risk of breast cancer. heart ...
... has revealed how British American Tobacco (BAT), a leading cigarette ... of the manufactured cigarettes. // ,In an audit conducted ... researchers, it has been found that the cigarettes actually delivered ... while in documentation, it was claimed to produce a low ...
... high blood pressure clinical trial is launching a nationwide ... blood pressure. // This is a follow-up to the ... (ALLHAT) and is being launched in collaboration with the ... ,The ALLHAT blood pressure study had compared the ...
... habits by practicing what they preach can go a long ... children, according to a study conducted by a team of ... divided the study in two parts. The first part aimed ... under the low fat category. The first part entailed the ...
... A new study published in the February issue of ... does raise the risk of developing preeclampsia in pregnancy. ... preeclamptic mothers have low birth weight babies as compared ... found that chronic periodontitis was more prevalent in the ...
... from respiratory illness as a result of breast-feeding, according to ... children belonging to the age group of 6 years to ... // They identified five groups, formula-fed only, full breastfeeding ... four months, full breastfeeding from four to less than six ...
Cached Medicine News:Health News:The Decks Cleared For HRT - Safe for Menopause Symptoms 2Health News:Diuretics More Effective In Controlling High Blood Pressure 2Health News:Gum Disease Associated With Increased Risk of Preeclampsia 2
(Date:5/23/2013)... SAN DIEGO , May 23, 2013 Neurocrine ... Kevin Gorman , President and Chief Executive ... Bank 38 th Annual dbAccess Health Care Conference in ... Thursday, May 30 at 11:20 a.m. Eastern Time / 8:20 ... be accessed on the Company,s website at http://www.neurocrine.com . ...
(Date:5/23/2013)...  MGC Diagnostics Corporation (NASDAQ: MGCD ) ... scheduled a conference call to discuss its financial results ... April 30, 2013. The call will be at 4:30 ... will report financial results for the second quarter of ... May 30, 2013. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120821/LA60189LOGO ...
(Date:5/23/2013)... SAN DIEGO , May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ ... the prostate cancer treatment continuum was highlighted prominently ... the American Urological Association (AUA), in San Diego.  ... invasive high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology, the ... localize disease, and for urologists to consider minimally ...
Breaking Medicine Technology:MGC Diagnostics Corporation to Report Second Quarter Fiscal 2013 Financial Results on Thursday, May 30, 2013 2Need for Image Guided Minimally Invasive Ablative Treatments Featured Prominently at American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 2Need for Image Guided Minimally Invasive Ablative Treatments Featured Prominently at American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 3Need for Image Guided Minimally Invasive Ablative Treatments Featured Prominently at American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 4Need for Image Guided Minimally Invasive Ablative Treatments Featured Prominently at American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 5Need for Image Guided Minimally Invasive Ablative Treatments Featured Prominently at American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting 6
... NEW YORK, May 2, 2012 Reportlinker.com ... is available in its catalogue: ... MarketLine http://www.reportlinker.com/p0847169/OTC-Pharmaceuticals-Global-Industry-Almanac-MarketLine.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Over-The- ... an essential resource for top-level data and ...
... Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) today announces the appointment ... of the OBT group. In this position he will ... in Basel, Switzerland.  The establishment of a dedicated development ... as it progresses its most advanced therapeutic antibody and ...
Cached Medicine Technology:OTC Pharmaceuticals: Global Industry Almanac, MarketLine 2OTC Pharmaceuticals: Global Industry Almanac, MarketLine 3OTC Pharmaceuticals: Global Industry Almanac, MarketLine 4OTC Pharmaceuticals: Global Industry Almanac, MarketLine 5Oxford BioTherapeutics Appoints Senior Industry Leader to Head its New Clinical Development Operations in Basel, Switzerland 2Oxford BioTherapeutics Appoints Senior Industry Leader to Head its New Clinical Development Operations in Basel, Switzerland 3
... a national reference laboratory and a worldwide ... ARUP offers an extensive test menu of ... clinical and anatomic pathology. Owned by the ... more than half of the nation's university ...
... ARUP Laboratories is a national reference laboratory ... research and development. ARUP offers an extensive ... medical tests in clinical and anatomic pathology. ... Laboratories' clients include more than half of ...
... reference laboratory and a worldwide leader in ... an extensive test menu of highly complex ... anatomic pathology. Owned by the University of ... half of the nation's university teaching hospitals ...
... is a national reference laboratory and a ... development. ARUP offers an extensive test menu ... in clinical and anatomic pathology. Owned by ... include more than half of the nation's ...
Medicine Products: