Abstract

Metabolomic Composition and Spatial Metabolite Distribution in the Human Lens

Vadim Yanshole, Researcher, International Tomography Center

The transparency of the eye lens depends on the integrity of crystallins which may undergo numerous PTMs throughout the lifespan. The protection of the lens cells is performed by small molecules, including antioxidants, UV filters, and osmolytes. Most of metabolites are synthesized in the lens epithelium or enter inside the lens through the lens epithelial layer from the aqueous humor. The further metabolite transport inside the lens is proposed to be driven by passive diffusion or active Na+ ion currents, but the contribution of each mechanism is still unknown. Therefore, the study of the metabolite composition and distribution inside the lens may help to establish the main mechanism of metabolite transport in the lens. This report provides the data on the metabolomic profiles of normal and cataractous human lenses and spatial metabolite distribution inside the lens. The concentration of more than 50 metabolites in the lens cortex and nucleus and spatial distribution of 34 metabolites along the optical and equatorial axes has been determined with the use of high-frequency 1H NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry with HPLC separation methods. This work was supported by RFBR (Project 14-03-00027). VVY acknowledges the project MK-5367.2015.3.