Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #409908
Research Project: Exploiting Nutrition and Protein Quality Controls to Delay Age-related Macular Degeneration and Cataracts

Location: Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging

Title: Redox regulation in age-related cataracts: roles for glutathione, vitamin C, and the NRF2 signaling pathway

Author
item BEJARANO-FERNANDEZ, ELOY - University Of Cardenal Herrera-Ceu
item WEINBERG, JASPER - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item CLARK, MADISON - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item TAYLOR, ALLEN - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item ROWAN, SHELDON - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item WHITCOMB, ELIZABETH - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University

Submitted to: Nutrients
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2023
Publication Date: 7/29/2023
Citation: Bejarano-Fernandez, E., Weinberg, J., Clark, M., Taylor, A., Rowan, S., Whitcomb, E. 2023. Redox regulation in age-related cataracts: roles for glutathione, vitamin C, and the NRF2 signaling pathway. Nutrients. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/nu15153375.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15153375

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Age is the biggest risk factor for cataracts, and aberrant oxidative modifications are correlated with age-related cataracts, suggesting that proper redox regulation is important for lens clarity. The lens has very high levels of antioxidants, including ascorbate and glutathione that aid in keeping the lens clear, at least in young animals and humans. We summarize current functional and genetic data supporting the hypothesis that impaired regulation of oxidative stress leads to redox dysregulation and cataract. We will focus on the essential endogenous antioxidant glutathione and the exogenous antioxidant vitamin C/ascorbate. Additionally, gene expression in response to oxidative stress is regulated in part by the transcription factor NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 [NFE2L2]), thus we will summarize our data regarding cataracts in Nrf2-/- mice. In this work we discuss the function and integration of these capacities with the objective of maintaining lens clarity.