Fatty acids influence the efficacy of lutein in the modulation of acrystallin chaperone function: Evidence from selenite induced cataract rat model.

Background: Loss of a-crystallin chaperone function results in the lens protein aggregation leading to
cataract. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of micellar lutein with different fatty acids in modulating
a-crystallin chaperone function under selenite cataract conditions.
Methods: Cataract was induced in rat pups by giving sodium selenite (25 mM/kg body weight) by IP.
Lutein [(L), 1.3 mmol/kg body weight)] was given day before and five days after selenite injection as a
micelle with 7.5 mM linoleic acid (LA), or 7.5 mM eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)þdocosahexaenoic acid
(DHA) or 7.5 mM oleic acid (OA). Lens a-crystallins was purified, and its chaperone function and integrity
was assessed. Cholesterol, calcium, calpain-2, procaspase-3, and expression of a-A and b-B1 crystallin in
the lens of cataract and micellar lutein administered rats were evaluated.
Results: Cataract induction significantly (p < 0.05) decreased lens a-crystallin chaperone function.
Cataract rats had increased cholesterol and calcium level, increased the expression of calpain-2, and a-A
and b-B1 crystallin, and reduced the pro-caspase-3 level in the lens. However, micellar lutein administration significantly (p < 0.05) protected client proteins from aggregation via the modulation of calciumdependent calpain-2 protease activity. The chaperone function of lens a-crystallins in rats administered
micellar lutein with EPA þ DHA was found to be highest when compared to OA and LA.
Conclusions: Micellar lutein with unsaturated fatty acids beneficially modulates a-crystallin chaperone
function. Among the fatty acids tested, micellar lutein with EPA þ DHA exhibited superior effects, thereby
offering a promising strategy for cataract management.