The Major Chromophore Arising from Glucose Degradation and Oxidative Stress Occurrence during Lens Proteins Glycation Induced by Glucose.

Glucose autoxidation has been proposed as a key reaction associated with deleterious effects induced by hyperglycemia in the eye lens. Little is known about chromophores generated during glucose autoxidation. In this study, we analyzed the effect of oxidative and dicarbonyl stress in the generation of a major chromophore arising from glucose degradation (GDC) and its association with oxidative damage in lens proteins. Glucose (5 mM) was incubated with H₂O₂ (0.5-5 mM), Cu2+ (5-50 μM), glyoxal (0.5-5 mM) or methylglyoxal (0.5-5 mM) at pH 7.4, 5% O₂, 37 °C, from 0 to 30 days. GDC concentration increased with incubation time, as well as when incubated in the presence of H₂O₂ and/or Cu2+, which were effective even at the lowest concentrations. Dicarbonylic compounds did not increase the levels of GDC during incubations. ¹H, 13C and FT-IR spectra from the purified fraction containing the chromophore (detected by UV/vis spectroscopy) showed oxidation products of glucose, including gluconic acid. Lens proteins solutions (10 mg/mL) incubated with glucose (30 mM) presented increased levels of carboxymethyl-lysine and hydrogen peroxide that were associated with GDC increase. Our results suggest a possible use of GDC as a marker of autoxidative reactions occurring during lens proteins glycation induced by glucose.