Effect of Mild Heating on Human Lens Epithelial Cells: A Possible Model of Lens Aging

This study aims to investigate the effect of mild heating on lens epithelial cells and to explore its possibility as an in vitro model for lens aging. Human lens epithelial cells (LECs) were heated at 50 °C for a cellular lens aging study. Analysis of the head group order of lens membranes was performed using Laurdan labeling. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect changes in α-crystallin expression and its cellular distribution. The chaperone-like activity of α-crystallin was also assessed. After mild heating, α-crystallin in LECs showed a tendency towards accumulation around the nucleus. The membrane head group environment of lens epithelial cells became more fluid with increasing time of exposure to mild heating, as indicated by increased water penetration. Furthermore, the chaperone activity of α-crystallin decreased, and suggests a relatively lower protective effect on other functional proteins in LECs. Thus, compared to the mild heating model based on lens tissue, this cellular model could provide a more convenient and accurate method for studying lens aging in vitro, including changes in membrane head group order in each cell, the real-time observation of crystallin distribution, and the monitoring of functional changes in the chaperone activity of crystallins as a result of aging.