BIOCHEMICHISTRY OF EYE

TISSUE

Sri Widia A Jusman

Department of Biochemistry &
Molecular Biology
FMUI

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METABOLIC PATHWAYS IN EYE TISSUE

Glycolysis ( aerobic & anaerobic)

HMP shunt

Poliol pathway

TCA cycle

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GLYCOLYSIS
Is the major pathway for glucose metabolism to obtain
energy

Occurs in the cytosol of all cells

Can function either aerobically or anaerobically

In aerobic condition glucose was converted into

pyruvate in cytosol then pyruvate enter the
mitochondria and will be oxidized to acetyl CoA the C
atom will be oxidized into CO2 through the TCA cycle.

The electron from the substrate will be oxidized in

electron transport chain to produced H2O + ATP
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 REACTIONS OF GLYCOLYTIC PATHWAY

Glucose + ATP glucose 6-P + ADP

Glucose 6-P fructose 6-P
Fructose 6-P + ATP fructose 1,6-BP + ADP
Fructose 1,6-BP di-OHacetone-P + glyceraldehide 3-P
Glyceraldehide 3-P + Pi + NAD 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate +
NADH + H+
1,3-bisphosphoglycerate + ADP 3-P glycerate + ATP
3-P glycerate 2-P glycerate
2-P glycerate P-enolpyruvate + H2O
P-enol pyruvate + ADP pyruvate + ATP

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Aerobic glycolysis

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Anaerobic glycolysis

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HMP shunt (Pentose phosphate pathway)

Alternative pathway for glucose oxidation

Function NOT to produce energy to

produce NADPH

NADPH important reductor intracell

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HMP SHUNT

Part I : Oxidative phase

NADP NADPH
Glucose G 6-P Ribulose 5-P
G6P DH

Part II : Non oxidative phase

Transketolase, transaldolase
Ribulose 5-P Glucose 6-P
TPP

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POLYOL PATHWAY

Present in many tissues

Function not fully understood

Activity of polyol pathway can lead to

major problems in DM cataract
diabetica, neuropathy, nephropathy
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POLYOL PATHWAY

Aldose reductase Sorbitol dehydrogenase

Glucose Sorbitol Fructose

NADPH + H+ NADP+ NAD+ NADH + H+

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TCA CYCLE
Common metabolic pathway for CH, lipid,
protein

C atom oxidized to CO2

Electron & H transferred into electron

transport chain through oxidative
phosphorylation produce H2O + ATP

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 Fatty acid Amino acid
glucose

Acetyl CoA

oxaloacetate citrate

malate isocitrate
CO2
fumarate 2H -ketoglutarate
2H
CO2
succinate succynil CoA
NAD
2H

2H Fp
P
KoQ
TCA Cycle
Oxidative
Sit b
P phosphorylation

Sit c
P
Sit aa3

H2O 12
Problems of the eye

Exposed to the pO2 atmosphere (21 %

O2), pollutants & irritant (~ lung)

Very long turn-over protein (~ erithrocyte)

Risk of damage by too much light

exposure (~ chloroplast in plant)
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 CORNEA(1)

Eye is an extension of nervous system

the metabolism ~ nervous system major
fuel is glucose

Glucose uptake by cornea were used

- 30 % - for aerobic glycolysis
- 65 % - HMP shunt ( to produced NADPH)

Activity of HMP shunt in the cornea

highest of any other mammalian tissue

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 CORNEA (2)

Cornea has activity of GSH reductase

Corneal epithelium permeable to atmospheric

O2 needed for aerobic metabolism cornea
was proned to the formation of reactive oxygen
species (ROS)

Activity of the HMP shunt and GSH reductase

maintain the reduced state of the cornea
neutralize the ROS that harmful to the cornea

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 ROS

protein-SH protein-S-S-protein

G-SS-G G-SH

GR

NADPH NADP+

Protein disulfide were

HMP reduced by glutathione
shunt reductase

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 LENS (1)

The outward-facing side of the lens covered by the

lens fibers which synthesize crystallin the major
protein of the lens

The new lens fibers push the older ones toward the
center of the lens formed the lens nucleus

The nucleus, mitochondria & other organelles are lost

during fibre maturation

The lens increase in weight and thickness with age and

become less elastic
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 LENS (2)
Lens is bathed on outer side by aqueous humor
and on inner side by vitreous humor
Lens has no blood supply, but metabolically
active

Protein of the lens

-, -, - crystallin
Albuminoids
Enzymes
Membrane proteins

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Crystallin

90 % of the lens soluble proteins

Is a long-lived protein damaged of crystallin

were acummulated

The organization of crystallin were important to

maintain the transparency of the lens

Denaturation, oxidation and aggregation of

crystallin lead to loss of transparency

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Lens proteins must be maintained in native
aggregated state

Lens are sensitive to changes of

redox state - maintained by GSH reductase

osmolarity maintained by Na+/K+-ATPase
UV irradiation
of metabolite

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Glucose used by the lens

85 % - for energy through glycolysis

10% - HMP shunt

3 % - by TCA cycle presumably by

the cells at the periphery

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CATARACT
Opacity of the lens caused by changes of
solubility and aggregation of the lens protein

Cataract senilis changes of crystallin related

with age due to deamidation, racemisation of
aspartyl residue

Cataract diabetica caused by osmolarity of

the lens due to activity of aldose reductase
and poliol dehydrogenase of polyol pathway

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CATARACT DIABETICA

DM hyperglycemia - glucose level in the lens -

convert into sorbitol by aldose reductase and
then by sorbitol / poliol dehidrogenase were
converted into fructose

Acummulation of sorbitol & fructose osmolarity

of the lens and denaturation of protein opacity of
the lens cataract diabetica

N activity of aldose reductase in the lens was not

significant because Km for glucose was

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Lens contain tryptophane metabolite can absorbed UV
light, but if exposure to UV light >> - act as
photosensitisizer produced singlet O2 damaged and
cross-linking lens protein

Long exposure to UV light risk factor for cataract

formation

Isolate protein from cataract lens contain product of

oxidative protein damage

Cataractous lens level of H2O2, level of GSH

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 G 6-P dehydrogenase
Glucose Glucose 6-P

NADP+

NADPH + H+
GSSG

NADP+
GSH

Sorbitol
NAD+
Polyol dehydrogenase
NADH + H+

Fructose Interelation of
metabolism in the
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lens
 VITREOUS HUMOR

Contain hyaluronic acid

ROS attack cause depolymerization of

hyaluronic acid loss of viscosity

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 RETINA
Retina was vascular tissue, but contain no
blood vessel in the fovea centralis

Mitochondria were present in the retina

cells, rod & cone, but no mitochondria at
the outer segment of rod & cone (at the
location of visual pigment)

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 RETINA

Uptake O2 of retina - because of energy need for

neurotransmission, synthesis and recycle of molecule
important for visual function

Brief ischemia lead to irreversible visual damage

Uptake O2 - consequences for ROS formation

Lipid in rod and cone contain >> PUFA (particularly

DHA) susceptible to lipid peroxydation

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 RETINA

Rhodopsin can sensitisized formation of singlet O2

Outer segment of photoreceptor - contain highest DHA

compared to any other tissue - exposure to light can
induced lipid peroxydation - lipid peroxide can
damage the protein of the retina

Deficiency of Se and vitamin E could caused level of

PUFA and accumulation of fluorescent product of retinal
pigment epithelium (RPE)

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Enzymatic antioxidant was found in all parts of
the eye

Glutathione peroxydase
Catalase
Glutathione S-transferase
Superoxyde dismutase (SOD)
- CuZnSOD in all parts of the eye very
susceptible to glycation (~ DM) and reaction
with H2O2
- MnSOD - >> in the RPE

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Epithel of cornea contain

Ascorbic acid
GSH
SOD (superoxyde dismutase )
Catalase & GSH peroxydase
Ferritin
- chelate Fe ion
- may be important for protection of DNA from UV light
- exposure of UV light translocation of ferritin from
cytosol to the nucleus

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Outer side of cornea bath by tears - contain
>> ascorbic acid
uric acid
protect cornea from pollutant such as O3, NO2
and SO2

lactoferin chelate Fe
eye irritation tears production >> protect
the Fe-dependent free radical reaction

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Antioxidant in the lens

Lens contain GSH level ~ liver

GSH level highest in lens epithelium, lowest in the nucleus of the

lens

GSH protect the SH group of crystallin protect crystallin from

aggregation protect the opacity of the lens

Capability to synthesize GSH in the lens in aging predisposing

factor for cataract formation

Ratio of GSH/GSSG in the lens maintain in level by glutathione

reductase which need NADPH from HMP shunt

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 SOD Fe 2+ Fe 3+

O2 - H2O2 OH
Fenton reaction

H2O2
2GSH NADP +

GSH Px GSH Rx
catalase
GSSG NADPH + H+

2H2O + O2 H2O

ENDOGENOUS ANTIOXIDANT
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Outer segment of rod and RPE - >> contain -
tocopherol

Deficiency of -tocopherol in animal damage

of cell and accumulation of lipofuscine in the
RPE

-tocopherol severity of cataract

Premature babies (predisposing factor for

retinopathy of prematurity, ROP) -tocopherol
level was

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Ascorbic acid was found in tears, cornea, aqueous humor,
lens, vitreous humor and RPE

Cornea contain ascorbic acid in highest concentration

important to protect from UV light

Nocturnal animal ascorbic acid level in the eye

Ascorbic acid could

Recycle the -tocopherol radical
Interaction with GSH
Scavange singlet O2, O2-, OH and other ROS

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 Deficiency of ascorbic acid in the diet of animal for
months level of ascorbic acid, GSH and -tocopherol

Degradation of ascorbic acid induced by light the

H2O2 level

In oxidative state ascorbic acid could cause glycation

reaction with protein, including crystallin

Epidemiological studies indicate ascorbic acid has

beneficial effect for the eye

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