Cataracts are one of the most common eye diseases in humans. The most common treatment is solved by surgically removing the clouded lens and then implanting an artificial lens. Modern Medicine addresses the surface of the problem and does not clarify the cause behind this disease.
Research published in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology on January 11 suggests that the structure of the protein solution inside the eye lens is an important cause of the disease and leads to a conclusion that is contrary to the prevailing medical understanding.
The cells within the lens of the eye contain a high concentration of protein solution that is normally clear. “When the balance of proteins within the lens is disturbed, they clump together and the lens becomes cloudy.” This leads to cataracts, says Johannes Buchner, professor of biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).
There are various causes of cloudiness. These proteins are formed at the embryonic stage, after which they are no longer replaced with new ones, so any damage accumulates, so cataracts are mostly seen in older people. However, some people have cataracts that are the result of genetic problems, where the proteins in the crystalline lens of their eye mutate. In such cases, these people develop signs of cataracts at an early age, or even at birth.
This study looked at mice with genetically mutated cataracts. Previously, scientists generally believed that defective proteins in the eye interacted with each other to form clumps and cloudy material.
But this study found that this was not the case in mice with genetic cataracts. “We found that the mutated, unstable proteins within the crystal were not there, and they were immediately gotten rid of. Instead, the ‘healthy’ proteins were clumped together. The model based on this new view shows that the balance between the different proteins, or the ratio of the composition of the various proteins, is very important. When one of the components is missing, the remainder tends to clump together.”
Buchner said, “Understanding the cause (of the disease) helps to consider treatment by way of drugs. But it’s still a long way to go, and first, it has to be confirmed that the model predicted by the study also applies to the human eye.”
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