Is retinal pigment epithelium protected against apoptosis by alphaB-crystallin?
alphaB-crystallin may function as a stress-inducible antiapoptotic protein in human RPE and is inducible by oxidative stress, a condition implicated in the pathogenesis of AMD. Overexpression of alphaB-crystallin may be an important mechanism for the RPE to prevent apoptotic cell death in response to cellular stress.
The study suggests that C-peptide is renoprotective by preserving the integrity of the renal microvasculature irrespective of glucose regulation.