Effects of the Novel Thiol Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine Amide (NACA) on Reversing Sodium Selenite-induced Cataracts in Rats
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biological Sciences
Research Advisor
Ercal, Nuran
Tobwala, Shakila
Advisor's Department
Chemistry
Abstract
More than half of Americans will have had cataracts or cataract surgery by the age of 80. One of the hypotheses for this clouding of the eye lens is the oxidation and consequent aggregation of proteins in the lens. In this study, a novel thiol antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA), was used as treatment for sodium selenite-induced cataracts in rats. Half of the 68 rats were sacrificed at 3 weeks after sodium selenite or buffer intraperitoneal injection, and the remaining 34 were sacrificed at 7 weeks. Pictures of the cataracts were taken using a slit-lamp microscope, and the cataracts were assigned grades of severity according to Marthur's method. After dissection, the lenses were examined for antioxidant levels by glutathione (GSHIGSSG) assay, lipid peroxidation by malondialdehyde (MDA) assay, and proteins by western blot. From these parameters, the effects of NACA on reversing sodium selenite-induced cataracts in rats were evaluated.
Biography
Lisa will be receiving her B. S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry in May 2013 from Missouri S& T During her time at S& T, she has been a proud member of the Cheer Team and has enjoyed volunteering for various events on campus such as Expanding Your Horizons and Science Olympiad. Lisa is also grateful for the opportunity to have worked in Dr. Nuran Ercal's biochemistry research laboratory during her last three semesters. After graduation, she will be attending Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for their Doctor of Physical Therapy program, starting in August 2013.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Presentation
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
03 Apr 2013, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Effects of the Novel Thiol Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine Amide (NACA) on Reversing Sodium Selenite-induced Cataracts in Rats
Upper Atrium/Hallway
More than half of Americans will have had cataracts or cataract surgery by the age of 80. One of the hypotheses for this clouding of the eye lens is the oxidation and consequent aggregation of proteins in the lens. In this study, a novel thiol antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA), was used as treatment for sodium selenite-induced cataracts in rats. Half of the 68 rats were sacrificed at 3 weeks after sodium selenite or buffer intraperitoneal injection, and the remaining 34 were sacrificed at 7 weeks. Pictures of the cataracts were taken using a slit-lamp microscope, and the cataracts were assigned grades of severity according to Marthur's method. After dissection, the lenses were examined for antioxidant levels by glutathione (GSHIGSSG) assay, lipid peroxidation by malondialdehyde (MDA) assay, and proteins by western blot. From these parameters, the effects of NACA on reversing sodium selenite-induced cataracts in rats were evaluated.
