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Cathepsin B in the rat eye

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Abstract

Background

Cathepsin B is a mammalian cysteine protease. The enzyme has been suggested to participate in the patophysiological processes of keratoconus as well as in the corneal response to infectious agents. This study describes the localization of cathepsin B in the rat eye.

Methods

Cathepsin B was identified in rat ocular tissues by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Cathepsin B mRNA levels were analyzed in the tissues by quantitative real-time cDNA amplification (QRT-PCR).

Results

Cathepsin B is present in the epithelium, in stromal cells and in the endothelium of the cornea. It is also present in the epithelium lining the ciliary processes, in occasional stromal cells in the iris, in the anterior subcapsular lens epithelium and in various cell types in the retina. At all locations cathepsin B is present in cytoplasmic granules, presumably lysosomes. QRT-PCR analysis detected cathepsin B mRNA in all these tissues in amounts correlating to the immunodetection results, suggesting that the enzyme detected is locally produced.

Conclusions

Cathepsin B is present in several tissues and cell types throughout the rat eye. It is localized to cytoplasmic granules, presumably lysosomes. Our results suggest that it is probably also produced in the same cell types.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by The Foundation Fighting Blindness, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Crafoord Foundation, the Swedish Medical Research Council (projects K99-04X, 09915 and 14X-2321) and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Lund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lund, 221 85 , Lund, Sweden

    Johan Wassélius & Berndt Ehinger

  2. Department of Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Lund, 221 85 , Lund, Sweden

    Hanna Wallin & Magnus Abrahamson

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  1. Johan Wassélius
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Correspondence to Johan Wassélius.

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Wassélius, J., Wallin, H., Abrahamson, M. et al. Cathepsin B in the rat eye. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 241, 934–942 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-003-0782-x

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