Glycation of human γB-crystallin: A biophysical investigation

Glycation of ocular lens proteins plays a vital role in the development of diabetic cataract. In order to investigate the role of glycation in cataractogenesis, the extent of glycation of human gamma B-crystallin was determined by an in vitro glycation study in a solution of high glucose content for upto 28 days. The glycated protein has been purified and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been monitored spectroscopically. Size exclusion chromatographic studies showed that the covalent intermolecular crosslinking in the dimer formed was not due to disulfide bond formation. MALDI-TOF spectroscopy was employed to determine the number of glucose moieties attached to the protein due to glycation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.