N -acetylcysteine and Taurine inhibit hyperoxia -induced cataract in rabbit lens

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)and Taurine (Tau) in preventing hyperoxia-induced the lensopacification and the changes of biochemical parameters onorgan cultured rabbit lenses. METHODS: Twenty-four lenses from adult rabbits weredivided into the control group, the hyperoxia-exposed group,the hyperoxia-exposed group containing 20mmol/L of NAC,the hyperoxia-exposed group containing 80mmol/L of Tau,respectively. The treated groups incubated with hyperoxia(PO² >80%) for 4 hours per day throughout a 7-day period.Lens transparency, histology and enzymatic activitiesmeasurements were determined after this incubation. RESULTS: Gross morphological examination of these lensesrevealed some severe cortical opacification in thehyperoxia-exposed group, moderate cortical opacification inthe control group and the Tau treated group. There wasminimal cortical opacification in the NAC treated group. Theglutathione (GSH) content and the activity of Na, K-ATPasewere significantly decreased in the hyperoxia-exposed groupthan that of the control group, by 37.8% ( P<0.05) and53.5% ( P<0.05), respectively. However, they were increasedin the two treated groups, especially in the NAC treatedgroup. There were no significant differences in thewater-soluble protein content and the catalase and GSHreductase activities in all group lenses. CONCLUSION: Hyperoxia can induce the corticalopacification in the lens. The role of NAC in the prevention ofhyperoxia-induced cataract is superior to Tau.