Lipid analysis in bovine lens parts after in vitro incubation in the presence of an HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitor.

Normal bovine lenses and bovine lenses after incubation in TC 199 in the presence of a lipid lowering drug were divided into four parts: the equatorial ring, the nucleus, the anterior cortex and posterior cortex. The lipids were extracted according to Egge et al. (1). Total lipids were determined gravimetrically, the lipid fractions phospholipids (PL), cardiolipin (CL), free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol (CH) were separated by thin layer chromatography and determined quantitative by densitometry after charring with 10% sulfuric acid. There are differences in lipid distribution between the four lens compartments, but there are no differences between normal and drug treated lenses in total lipids and lipid fractions. This result could be explained in different ways: either during this incubation time of 24 hours at 37 degrees C there will be no effect on the lens epithelial cells or there is no de-novo synthesis of lipids, especially of cholesterol in the bovine lens epithelium which could be influenced by lipid lowering drugs like HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.