Evaluation of Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) as a Potential Anticataractogenic Agent in Diabetic Rat Model

Abstract

ype 2 diabetes is a major health care concern, and more than 450 million people worldwide are currently afflicted with this disorder. Diabetes develops when the actions of insulin, produced and released by pancreatic beta-cells, fail to normalize blood glucose levels. Chronic hyperglycemia is a major determinant of secondary complications of diabetes, including diabetic cataract. Studies indicate that higher oxidative stress in hyperglycemia and the duration of diabetes increase the risk of development of cataract. Hence, chaperone function of α-crystallin under hyperglycemic conditions is of great concern with respect to lens transparency. The studies imply that impaired chaperone function of α-crystallin could be involved in the formation of diabetic cataract. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the ways and means by which we can maintain and/or prevent the loss of chaperone potential of α-crystallin under diabetic conditions. Also exciting new findings suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to the development of insulin resistance, and that small molecule ‘chemical chaperones’, which function to alleviate ER stress, might enhance insulin action in animal models of type 2 diabetes.