3-Fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactose: a new probe for studies on sugar cataract

Abstract

Purpose: Aldose reductase (AR) activity and flux through the polyol pathway can conveniently be monitored in dog lenses by measuring the metabolism of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-glucose by 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Since AR has broad substrate specificity and preferentially utilizes galactose over glucose as substrate, the ability of AR to utilize 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactose (3-FDGal) as substrate as well as the metabolism of 3-FDGal in intact dog lens and cultured lens epithelial cells has been investigated.

Methods: The suitableness of 3FDGal as a substrate was examined by incubating 3FDGal with purified dog lens aldose reductase in the presence of an NADPH generating system or with galactitol dehydrogenase in the presence of NAD+. Dog lenses and dog lens epithelial cells were cultured in 3-FDGal medium with and without the AR inhibitor AL 1576. Metabolism was studied using 19F NMR.

Results: AR activity with 3-FDGal as substrate is higher than that with D-galactose and its Km of 4.2 mM is ca 10-fold higher than that of D-galactose. Purified dog lens AR incubated with 3-FDGal resulted in the formation of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactitol. Galactitol formation was prevented by the addition of AL 1576. Incubation of 3-FDGal with galactitol dehydrogenase resulted in the formation of 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactonic acid. Dog lenses cultured in 3-FDGal medium formed NMR peaks corresponding to 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactitol and 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactonic acid. The presence of AL 1576 inhibited the formation of galactitol but not galactonic acid. Lens epithelial cells cultured in 3-FDGal medium formed only 3-fluoro-3-deoxy-D-galactitol. These cells developed multiple cytoplasmic vacuoles which was prevented by the aldose reductase inhibitor AL 1576.

Conclusions: The high affinity of this fluorinated sugar for aldose reductase makes this an excellent probe for investigating aldose reductase activity in dog lens tissues.