No description available.

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in the world and is defined by opacification of the normally transparent lens of the eye. The major avoidable cause of cataract is ultraviolet radiation (UVR), but no current strategies have been developed to prevent the onset of cataract. Apoptosis and internal and external antioxidant systems that inhibit apoptosis have been shown to play a significant role in cataractogenesis. The main purposes of this thesis were to study the time evolution of apoptosis, to develop the concept of a protection factor (PF), and to investigate the effect of thioltransferase (Grx1) and topical caffeine in UVR cataract development. Further, to elucidate pharmacokinetics and influence on iris diameter of topical caffeine. Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to UVR and TUNEL staining of the lens sections was analysed. Grx1+/+ and Grx1-/- mice were exposed to 5 sub-doses of UVR. Based on the difference of light scattering between Grx1+/+ and Grx1-/- mice, the concept of the PF was developed. Topical caffeine and a placebo were applied to the eyes of separate groups of Sprague Dawley rats that were exposed to sub-doses of UVR and protective effect was evaluated. Penetration of topical caffeine in Sprague Dawley rats to lens and blood was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. Pupil diameter was measured in groups of unilaterally and bilaterally caffeine-treated ketamine/xylazine anesthetized Sprague Dawley rats. TUNEL-labeling peaked between 5 and 120 hours after UVR exposure. The PF of Grx1 was 1.3. Moreover, topically administered caffeine protected against UVR-induced cataract development with a PF of 1.23. Topical caffeine peaked at 30 min in the lens, increased up to 120 min in the blood and antagonized ketamine/xylazine-induced mydriasis. In conclusion, UVR induces apoptosis, which is evidenced by the peak of TUNEL-labeling at 24 hours after UVR exposure. The PF is an objective relative measure of protective properties that allows the comparison of different antioxidant systems and administered antioxidant substances. Grx1 and caffeine are protective against UVR-induced cataract. Topically administered caffeine penetrates to the lens and inhibits UVR-induced apoptosis. Additionally, a miotic effect of caffeine is described for the first time.