Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Hydrolases of anterior segment tissues in the normal human, pig and rat eye: a comparative study

  • Laboratory Investigation
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The distributions of the hydrolases acid and alkaline phosphatase (AP and ALP), N-acetyl-β-l-glucosaminidase (NAG), β-glucuronidase (β-Gluc), β-galactosidase (β-Gal), non-specific esterase (UE), dipeptidylpeptidases II and IV (DPPII and DPPIV), aminopeptidases M and A (APM and APA), and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were investigated in the human, pig and Lewis rat normal anterior segment by histochemical methods. The distribution of the above hydrolases, particularly that of proteases, varied between ocular tissues and between the three species. Lysosomal hydrolases together with GGT and ALP were consistently active in the corneal epithelium, stroma and endothelium in all three species; the corneal distribution and activity of β-Gal, APM, APA and DPPIV, however, displayed interspecies variation. The angular tissues showed similarities for most hydrolases with the exceptions of β-Gal, UE, APM, APA and DPPIV In all eyes examined strong ciliary epithelial activity for AP, β-Gal, UE, GGT and ALP was observed in the pars plicata; only the pig eye also displayed strong DPPIV activity in this area. Regional differences in hydrolase distribution in the iris were observed in all species. A post-mortem freezing delay of longer than 24 h resulted in a decrease in hydrolase activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson El, Wright DD (1982) The roles of glutathione reductase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in corneal transendothelial fluid transport mediated by oxidized glutathione and glucose. Exp Eye Res 32:11–19

    Google Scholar 

  2. Basu PK, Taichman NS (1973) Hydrolytic enzymes in corneal graft rejection. Can J Ophthalmol 8:577–581

    Google Scholar 

  3. Becker B, Friedenwald JS (1950) The histochemical localisation of glucuronidase in ocular tissues and salivary glands. Am J Ophthalmol 33:672–674

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berggren L (1957) A histochemical study of the anterior segment of the eye in Gold Id (Idus idus L.), chicken, rabbit and man with special regard to the angle of the anterior chamber. Acta Soc Med Upsal 62:157–175

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bolkova A (1977) Biochemical study on some acid hydrolases in the normal rabbit cornea. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 203:67–71

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bolkova A, Cejkova J (1977) Species variation of some acid hydrolases in the normal cornea. Ophthalmol Res 9:155–161

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bolkova A, Obenberger J (1976) Changes of activity of alkaline and acid phosphatase in the rabbit eye in the early phase of alkaline and acid injury. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 200:251–255

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bruner WE, Stark WJ (1982) Glycosidases in the normal human donor cornea. Curr Eye Res 1:705–710

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cejkova J, Lojda Z (1986) Histochemistry of some proteases in the normal rabbit, pig and ox corneas. Histochemistry 84:67–71

    Google Scholar 

  10. Chayakul V, Reim M (1982) Enzymatic activity of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the alkali-burned rabbit cornea. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 218:149–152

    Google Scholar 

  11. Coupland SE, Penfold PL, Billson FA (1993) Histochemical survey of the anterior segment in the human foetal and adult eye. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 231:533–540

    Google Scholar 

  12. Das ND, Shichi H (1981) Enzymes of mercapturate synthesis and other drug-metabolizing reactions — specific localization in the eye. Exp Eye Res 33:525–533

    Google Scholar 

  13. Dikstein S, Maurice DM (1972) The metabolic basis to the fluid pump in the cornea. J Physiol 221:29

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ellis PP, Littlejohn K, Deitrich RA (1972) Enzymatic hydrolysis of pilocarpine. Invest Ophthalmol 11:747–751

    Google Scholar 

  15. Futa R (1972) Enzymatic histochemical studies on the angle of the anterior chamber. Part 3. Effect of local corticosteroid on some enzymes relating to phosphoric acid metabolism. Acta Soc Ophthalmol Jpn 76:441–448

    Google Scholar 

  16. Futa R (1981) A histochemical study of the enzymes in the anterior chamber angle of eyes with experimental ocular hypertension and human glaucoma. Kumamoto Med J 34:126–142

    Google Scholar 

  17. Grierson I (1987) What is open angle glaucoma? Eye 1:15–28

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hawkins LA, Garg HS, Awasthi YC, Srivastava SK (1981/2) Distribution of lysosomal hydrolases in human and bovine ocular tissues. Curr Eye Res 1:497–500

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hayasaka S (1974) Distribution of lysosomal enzymes in the bovine eye. Jpn J Ophthalmol 18:233–239

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hayasaka S, Sears ML (1978) Distribution of acid phosphatase, β-glucuronidase and lysosomal hyaluronidase in the anterior segment of the rabbit eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 17:982–987

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kahn MG, Giblin FJ, Epstein DL (1983) Glutathione in calf trabecular meshwork and its relation to aqueous humour outflow facility. Invest Ophhalmol Vis Sci 24:1283–1287

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kashi SD, Lee VHL (1986) Hydrolysis of enkephalins in homogenates of anterior segment tissues of the albino rabbit eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 27:1300–1303

    Google Scholar 

  23. Knepper PA, Collins JA, Weinstein HG, Breen M (1983) Aqueous outflow pathway complex carbohydrate synthesis in vitro. Inverst Ophthalmol Vis Sci 24:1546–1551

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lee VHL, Emoto DS, Takemoto KA (1982/83) Subcellular distribution of esterases in the bovine eye. Curr Eye Res 2:869–876

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lessel S, Kuwabara T (1964) Phosphatase histochemistry of the eye. Arch Ophthalmol 71:851–860

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lojdá Z (1981) Proteinases in pathology — usefulness of histochemical methods. J Histochem Cytochem 29:481–493

    Google Scholar 

  27. Lojdá Z, Cejkova J, Bolkova A, Havrankova E (1976) Uneven distribution of alkaline phosphatase in individual layers of rabbit and ox cornea. Histochemistry 49:237–243

    Google Scholar 

  28. Lojdá Z, Gossrau R, Schiebler TH (1979) Enzymhistochemische Methoden. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  29. McDonald JK, Barrett AJ (1985) Mammalian proteases — a glossary and bibliography, vol 2. Exopeptidases. Academic Press, London, pp 62–144

    Google Scholar 

  30. McDonald JK, Schwabe CH (1977) Intracellular exopeptidases. In: Barrett AJ (ed) Proteinases in mammalian cells and tissues. North-Holland, Amsterdam New York Oxford, pp 311–390

    Google Scholar 

  31. McMenamin PG, Al-Shakarchi MJ (1989) The effect of various levels of intraocular pressure on the rat aqueous outflow system. J Anat 162:67–82

    Google Scholar 

  32. McMenamin PG, Steptoe RJ (1991) Normal anatomy of the aqueous humour outflow system in the domestic pig eye. J Anat 178:65–77

    Google Scholar 

  33. Meister A, Tate SS (1976) Glutathione and related gamma-glutamyl compounds: biosynthesis and utilization. Annu Rev Biochem 45:559–604

    Google Scholar 

  34. Miller SP, Arya DV, Srivastava S (1976) Studies of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in human ocular tissues. Exp Eye Res 22:329–334

    Google Scholar 

  35. Nordquist RE (1993) Enzyme histochemical localization of membrane-bound proteases in rat eye. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci [Suppl] 34:1282

    Google Scholar 

  36. Pahlitzsch T, Sinha P (1985) The alkali burned cornea: electron microscopical, enzyme histochemical, and biochemical observations. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 223:278–286

    Google Scholar 

  37. Raekallio J (1970) Enzyme histochemistry of wound healing. Prog Histochem Cytochem 1:51–151

    Google Scholar 

  38. Reddy VN, Unakar NJ (1973) Localisation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in rabbit lens, ciliary body and cornea. Exp Eye Res 17:405–408

    Google Scholar 

  39. Reim MD, Leber M (1993) N-acetylglucose aminidase activity in corneoscleral ulceration after severe eye burns. Cornea 12:1–7

    Google Scholar 

  40. Riley MV (1984) A role for glutathione and glutathione reductase in control of corneal hydration. Exp Eye Res 39:751–758

    Google Scholar 

  41. Ross LL, Barber L, Tate SS, Meister A (1973) Enzymes of the γ-glutamyl cycle in the ciliary body and lens. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 70:2211–2214

    Google Scholar 

  42. Sames K, Rohen JW (1978) Histochemical studies on the glycosaminoglycans in the normal and glaucomatous iris of human eyes. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 207:157–167

    Google Scholar 

  43. Saneto RP, Awasthi YC, Srivastava SK (1982) Mercapturic acid pathway enzymes in bovine ocular lens, cornea, retina and retinal pigmented epithelium. Exp Eye Res 34:107–111

    Google Scholar 

  44. Shanthaveerappa TR, Bourne G (1964) Histochemical studies on the distribution of acid phosphatase in the eye. Acta Histochem 18:317–327

    Google Scholar 

  45. Shanthaveerappa TR, Bourne GH (1965) Histochemical studies on the distribution of oxidative and dephosphorylating groups of enzymes in the meshwork cells of the anterior chamber angle of the eye. Am J Ophthalmol 60:49–55

    Google Scholar 

  46. Simon JV, Spicer SS (1973) Activities of specific cell constituents in phagocytosis (endocytosis). Int Rev Exp Pathol 12:79–118

    Google Scholar 

  47. Spector A, Garner WH (1981) Hydrogen peroxide and human cataract. Exp Eye Res 33:673–681

    Google Scholar 

  48. Stratford RE, Lee VHL (1985) Ocular aminopeptidase activity and distribution in the albino rabbit. Curr Eye Res 4:995–999

    Google Scholar 

  49. Süllmann H, Payot P (1949) Histochemische Untersuchungen über die alkalische Phosphatase in der Cornea. Ophthalmologica 118:345–355

    Google Scholar 

  50. Tarkanen A, Niemi M (1976) Enzyme histochemistry of the angle of the anterior chamber of the human eye. Acta Ophthalmol 45:93–99

    Google Scholar 

  51. Tsuji A, Tamai I, Sasaki K (1987) Hydrolysis of prednisolone succinate by esterase in rabbit ocular tissue. Ophthalmic Res 19:322–329

    Google Scholar 

  52. Van Haeringen NJ, Bolkova A, Oosterhuis JA, van Delft JL (1986) Enzyme activities in the rabbit cornea during immunogenic keratitis. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 224:288–290

    Google Scholar 

  53. Weissmann G (1967) The role of lysosomes in inflammation and diseases. Annu Rev Med 18:741–752

    Google Scholar 

  54. Weissmann G, Dukor P (1970) The role of lysosomes in immune responses. Adv Immunol 12:283–331

    Google Scholar 

  55. Whikehart DR, Edelhauser HF (1978) Glutathione in rabbit corneal endothelia: the effects of selected perfusion fluids. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 17:455–464

    Google Scholar 

  56. Williams KA, Coster DJ (1985) Penetrating corneal transplantation in the inbred rat: a new model. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 26:23–30

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Augenabteilung, Klinikum Steglitz, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12200, Berlin, Germany

    Sarah E. Coupland

  2. Department of Clinical Ophthalmology Save Sight and Eye Health Institute, University of Sydney, 2006, N.S.W, Australia

    Philip L. Penfold & Francis A. Billson

Authors
  1. Sarah E. Coupland
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philip L. Penfold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Francis A. Billson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coupland, S.E., Penfold, P.L. & Billson, F.A. Hydrolases of anterior segment tissues in the normal human, pig and rat eye: a comparative study. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 232, 182–191 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176789

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176789

Keywords

Search

Navigation