Heavy metal pollution is becoming a serious issue in developing countries such as China, and the public is increasingly aware of its adverse health impacts in recent years. We assessed the potential health risks in a lead-zinc mining area and attempted to identify the key exposure pathways. We evaluated the spatial distributions of personal exposure using indigenous exposure factors and field monitoring results of water, soil, food, and indoor and outdoor air samples. The risks posed by 10 metals and the contribution of inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact pathways to these risks were estimated. Human hair samples were also analyzed to indicate the exposure level in the human body. Our results show that heavy metal pollution may pose high potential health risks to local residents, especially in the village closest to the mine (V1), mainly due to Pb, Cd and Hg. Correspondingly, the residents in V1 had higher Pb (8.14 mg/kg) levels in hair than those in the other two villages. Most of the estimated risks came from soil, the intake of self-produced vegetables and indoor air inhalation. This study highlights the importance of site-specific multipathway health risk assessments in studying heavy-metal exposures in China.

The high prevalence of cataract and high rate of VI from ARC in the adult Chinese population remains a severe public health problem. Cataract surgery remains insufficient in mainland China and poor visual outcomes were frequent. Surgical complications and PCO were important avoidable causes that attributed to poor visual outcomes after cataract surgeries.

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The development of a technique to induce the transformation of somatic cells to a pluripotent state via the ectopic expression of defined transcription factors was a transformational event in the field of regenerative medicine. The development of this technique also impacted ophthalmology, as patient-specific induced pluripotent stemcells (iPSCs) may be useful resources for some ophthalmological diseases. The lens is a key refractive element in the eye that focuses images of the visual world onto the retina. To establish a new model for drug screening to treat lens diseases and investigating lens aging and development, we examined whether human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) could be induced into iPSCs and if lens-specific differentiation of these cells could be achieved under defined chemical conditions. We first efficiently reprogrammed HLECs from age-related cataract patients to iPSCs with OCT-4, SOX-2, and KLF-4. The resulting HLEC-derived iPS (HLE-iPS) colonies were indistinguishable from human ES cells with respect to morphology, gene expression, pluripotent marker expression and their ability to generate all embryonic germ-cell layers. Next, we performed a 3-step induction procedure: HLE-iPS cells were differentiated into large numbers of lens progenitor-like cells with defined factors (Noggin, BMP and FGF2), and we determined that these cells expressed lens-specific markers (PAX6, SOX2, SIX3, CRYAB, CRYAA, BFSP1, and MIP). In addition, HLE-iPS-derived lens cells exhibited reduced expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers compared with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and fibroblast-derived iPSCs. Our study describes a highly efficient procedure for generating lens progenitor cells from cataract patient HLEC-derived iPSCs. These patient-derived pluripotent cells provide a valuable model for studying the developmental and molecular biological mechanisms that underlie cell determination in lens development and cataract pathophysiology.

PurposeTo assess the etiology of early-onset dark nucleus in high-myopic patients and its relationship with the epigenetic regulation of αA-crystallin (CRYAA).MethodsWe reviewed clinical data from patients who underwent cataract surgery at our center in 2012. Lens epithelial samples were collected during capsulorhexis, whereas young lens epithelium was donated. Cataract type and severity were graded according to the Lens Opacity Classification System III (LOCS III). DNA methylation was analyzed by pyrosequencing the CpG islands of the CRYAA promoter in the following groups: Age-Related Cataract (ARC) Nuclear Color (NC) 2–3; High-Myopic Cataract (HMC) NC2–3; ARC NC5–6; HMC NC5–6; and in young lenses graded NC1. We analyzed CRYAA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcription PCR, and immunohistochemistry.ResultsThe odds ratio of dark nucleus in high-myopic patients was 5.16 (95% confidence interval: 3.98–6.69; p<0.001). CpG islands in lens epithelial CRYAA promoter in the HMC NC5–6 Group exhibited the highest methylation of all the groups, but no statistically significant differences were evident between the HMC NC2–3 and ARC NC2–3 Groups. Likewise, CRYAA mRNA and protein levels in the HMC NC5–6 Group were significantly lower than the ARC NC5–6 Group and high-myopic controls.ConclusionsHigh myopia is a risk factor for dark nucleus. Downregulation of CRYAA via the hypermethylation of CpG islands in its promoter could underlie the earlier onset of dark nucleus in high-myopic patients.

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to elucidate the role of transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-β2) in the development of high myopic capsular contraction syndrome. Methods. Nineteen cases of capsular contraction syndrome, including 14 with high myopia, were collected, and their clinical data were reviewed. Aqueous humor and anterior capsular membranes were obtained during capsulotomy. Hematoxylin-eosin and immunohistochemical staining with anti-TGF-β2 antibody were performed on capsular membranes. TGF-β2 levels in aqueous humor were assayed using ELISA and western blot. Results. High myopia was significantly associated with the incidence of capsular contraction syndrome (odds ratio: 14.74, P < 0.001, 95% CI: 5.29–41.05). Histopathological analysis revealed proliferation of fibroblast-like lens epithelial cells on the shrunken anterior capsule, labeled with TGF-β2 antibodies. ELISA and Western blot showed higher levels of TGF-β2 in aqueous humor of patients with capsular contraction syndrome and high myopia. Conclusions. High myopia is a risk factor for capsular contraction syndrome. Elevated TGF-β2 levels in high myopic cataract patients may play an important role in the pathogenesis of capsular contraction syndrome.

None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.

Both phacoemulsification+CTR+IOL and lensectomy with scleral-fixated PC IOL implantation are effective in lowering the IOP and enhancing the visual acuity in patients with spherophakia and secondary glaucoma.