Fig. 4: 129-PRX proteins are associated with severe nuclear cataracts in 129-Cx46KO mice.
From: Periaxin gene variants are linked to age-related cataracts in Cx46 deficient lenses
a 3D images of individual peripheral fiber (PF) immunostained with an anti-periaxin antibody (red) and FITC-phalloidin (green) from 3-week-old 129-WT and 129-Cx46KO lenses. White arrowheads indicate protrusions on the short sides, while white arrows mark the ball-and-sockets on the long side. Scale bar: 5 µm. b 3D images of individual inner maturing fiber (MF) immunostained with an anti-periaxin antibody (red) and FITC-phalloidin (green) from 3-week-old 129-WT and 129-Cx46KO lenses. White arrowheads indicate protrusions with colocalization of 129-PRX and F-actin, while white arrows mark protrusion with segregated distributions of 129-PRX and F-actin signals. Scale bar: 5 µm. c Deformed fibers and membrane aggregates in the 129-Cx46KO lens core. Low-magnification images of lens A/P sections from 3-week-old 129-WT (upper panels) and 129-Cx46KO mice (lower panels), triple-labeled with DAPI (blue), FITC-phalloidin (green), and WGA (red). DAPI staining reveals a denucleation zone at approximately 150 μm from the lens equatorial surface (white arrowheads). FITC-phalloidin staining shows an obvious reduction of F-actin in inner mature fibers, starting around 350 μm from the lens equatorial surface (white asterisks). Rhodamine-WGA labeling displays intense WGA signals in the 129-Cx46KO lens core, starting in mature fibers around 500 μm from the lens equatorial surface (white arrows), correlating with the region of the nuclear cataract. Scale bar: 100 μm. d A comparison of lens core fibers from 3-week-old 129-WT and 129-Cx46KO mice, double labeled with Rhodamine-WGA and FITC-phalloidin. White arrowheads indicate WGA-labeled fiber cell membrane aggregates, while white arrows point to FITC-phalloidin-positive aggregates or regions in 129-Cx46KO lenses. Scale bar: 5 μm.
