In addition to its well-characterized role in the lens, αB-crystallin performs other functions. Methylglyoxal (MGO) can alter the function of the basement membrane of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Thus, if MGO is not efficiently detoxified, it can induce adverse reactions in RPE cells. In this study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the anti-apoptotic activity of αB-crystallin in...

PURPOSE The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is an important protein quality control mechanism for selective degradation of abnormal proteins. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that enhancement of the UPP capacity could attenuate the accumulation and aggregation of misfolded proteins using V76D-γD-crystallin as a model substrate. METHODS Wild type (wt) and V76D mutant γ...

AIM To examine the expression of αB-crystallin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Seven CSCCs and three normal conjunctivas that were surgically excised were studied. Paraformaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections were processed for immunohistochemistry with antibodies against αB-crystallin, its phosph...

BACKGROUND Alpha B-crystallin (αB-crystallin) has been suggested to play an important role in the development of solid tumors. However, the association between αB-crystallin expression and clinicopathological characteristics of human laryngeal carcinoma is not well defined. This study aimed to examine the expression of αB-crystallin in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and investig...

PURPOSE αB-crystallin, a small heat shock protein, is an anti-apoptotic protein associated with aggressive tumor behavior. A recent study revealed that αB-crystallin is overexpressed in a metastatic variant of the GI101A human breast carcinoma cell line. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether αB-crystallin is related to other breast tumor markers and can predict a breast cancer pr...

Crystallins are found widely in animal lenses and have important functions due to their refractive properties. In the coleoid cephalopods, a lens with a graded refractive index provides good vision and is required for survival. Cephalopod S-crystallin is thought to have evolved from glutathione S-transferase (GST) with various homologs differentially expressed in the lens. However, there is no ...

Our group has previously shown that αB-crystallin (HSPB5), a small heat shock protein, inhibits human platelet aggregation by ristocetin, an activator of glycoprotein Ib/IX/V. In addition, it was demonstrated that glycoprotein Ib/IX/V activation induces soluble CD40 (sCD40) ligand release via thromboxane (TX) A2. In the present study, the effect of αB-crystallin on the ristocetin-induced sCD40 ...

PURPOSE To explore the expression of the lens crystallins (αA- and βB1-crystallin) in Xenopus laevis embryonic lens development and regeneration and to analyze the order of different crystallins generated in the regenerating lens. METHODS Real Time-PCR, Immunofluorescence, and 2D-PAGE were used to analyze the expressions of αA-crystallin and βB1-crystallin, and related factors during embryoni...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the different expressions of αA-crystallin and αB-crystallin in human lens epithelium of age-related and congenital cataracts. METHODS The central part of the human anterior lens capsule approximately 5 mm in diameter together with the adhering epithelial cells, were harvested and processed within 6 hours after cataract surgery from age-...

αB-crystallin is a member of the heat shock protein family that exerts cell protection under several stress-related conditions. Recent studies have revealed that αB-crystallin plays a beneficial role in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, brain ischemia, and Alexander disease. Whether αB-crystallin plays a role in modulating the secondary damage after CNS trauma is not known. We report here th...