ヒト水晶体におけるsuperoxide dismutase活性の局在について—白内障水晶体と透明水晶体との比較検討

Localization of superoxide dismutase in transparent and cataractous human lenses

　ヒト水晶体における　superoxide dis-mutase （SOD）活性の局在を摘出水晶体について検討した。

・白内障水晶体20例，透明水晶体11例の両方において，周辺部のほうが，中心部よりSOD活性が高かった。これは赤道部のほうが，中心部より細胞の活動性が高いためと思われた。中心部の周辺部に対するSOD活性の比率は，透明水晶体と白内障水晶体ではほぼ同程度であった。水晶体の中心部，周辺部の双方において透明水晶体のほうが白内障水晶体よりもSOD活性が高かった。

・白内障水晶体においては，活性酸素に対する防御機構が透明水晶体より低い水準にあることがわかった。

We evaluated the localization and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in 20 cataractous lenses obtained by intracapsular extraction of senile cataract. Another series of 11 clear lenses, removed from the donor eyes for corneal transplan-tation or because of traumatic lens luxation, served as control.

The lenses were divided into two, central and peripheral portions by a trephine. The activity of SOD was quantitated in each portion after the method of Ohyanagi.

In all the lenses, the SOD activity was significant-ly higher in the peripheral than in the central portion. The SOD activity was significantly higher in cataractous lenses than in transparent ones for both portions. No significant difference was present in the ratio of SOD activity between the central and peripheral portions in cataractous and transparent lenses.

The findings suggested that the scavenging sys-tem of the human lens is more active in the equato-rial than in the central portion and that the system is more active in transparent than in cataract lenses.