Quantification of chick lens alphaA- and delta-crystallins in experimentally induced ametropia

The role of the lens in experimentally induced ametropia is not known. A recent study of the chick lens demonstrated optical quality deterioration with the induction of refractive errors, without alteration in lens morphology, size or shape. A change in lens gradient of refractive index (which is dependent on alpha-, beta-, and delta-crystallin concentration and arrangement), could underlie this observation. The purpose of this work was to quantify the concentrations of alphaA- and delta-crystallin in lenses from chick eyes with induced high myopia or hyperopia.

White Leghorn chicks were unilaterally fitted on the day of hatching either with translucent plastic goggles to induce form-deprivation myopia (n=21) or with +15 D defocus goggles to induce hyperopia (n=14). The ungoggled contralateral eyes were used as controls. The chicks were refracted twice, once on the day of hatching and again seven days later, using streak retinoscopy. On day 7 chicks were sacrificed, lenses decapsulated, and soluble proteins were isolated. Western blot assays were optimized and used to assess crystallin concentration.

Analysis revealed no significant difference in alphaA- or delta-crystallin concentration in lenses from eyes induced with form-deprivation myopia and hyperopia as compared to their respective control eyes. Analysis of the difference in medians of delta-crystallin between the control and treated groups of the myopia and hyperopia experiments revealed significance (p=0.030).

This study suggests that with the induction of ametropia, the increased lens spherical aberration previously noted is not due to a change in the absolute concentration of lens alphaA- or delta-crystallin. However, results suggest that the myopic and hyperopic treatments had different effects on lens delta-crystallin concentration. Further investigation is necessary to expand the current knowledge of the role played by the lens in experimental ametropia.