N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine Reduces Lens Damage from High Glucose

We investigated the effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on high glucose damage to the eye lens. 90 intact bovine lenses were placed in Culture for two weeks. The lenses were divided into: (a) controls, (b) lenses incubated with NAC 1mM (c) lenses incubated with 450 mg % glucose, (d) lenses incubated with glucose and NAC. Optical quality of the intact lenses was analyzed. After two weeks the lenses were photographed, lens epithelium was stained for nucleic acids and lens proteins were analyzed by electrophoresis. High levels of glucose caused optical damage to lenses ill culture, increased lens volume, modified lens epithelial cells, and caused aggregation of lens proteins. NAC increased lens transparency and prevented protein aggregation. NAC partially protects the lens from high glucose damage.