{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T15:21:31Z","timestamp":1772119291376,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772064000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the level of total proteins and antioxidant capacity in the corneal endothelium of patients with endothelial decompensation, due or not due to a Fuchs\u2019 endothelial dystrophy (FECD), and analyze the influence of cataract formation. Methods: Endothelial cells from 27 patients with endothelial dystrophy and 6 from healthy human donors were used, distributed into four groups according to the presence of Fuchs\u2019 Dystrophy and cataract. Results: Protein levels differed significantly among the five study groups (Kruskal\u2013Wallis H = 12.19, p = 0.016). Patients with FECD, particularly those with concomitant cataract, showed the highest median protein concentrations, whereas lower values were observed in non-FECD groups. Post hoc Dunn\u2019s test revealed a significant difference only between the non-FECD with cataract group and the controls (p &lt; 0.05). The antioxidant capacity\/protein ratio showed a marked variability across groups, with higher median values in non-FECD patients and greater dispersion in cataract groups; however, no statistically significant differences were detected (H = 5.58, p = 0.134). These findings highlight the differences in protein content and antioxidant defenses related to FECD and cataract status. Conclusions: Fuchs\u2019 endothelial dystrophy is associated with higher protein levels and a moderately elevated but heterogeneous antioxidant capacity in the corneal endothelium, reflecting adaptive responses to chronic oxidative stress. In contrast, no FECD eyes, particularly those with cataract, showed lower or more variable antioxidant capacity, indicating reduced or inconsistent protective mechanisms.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15051773","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T13:58:03Z","timestamp":1772114283000},"page":"1773","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Antioxidant Capacity in Fuchs\u2019 Dystrophy and Its Relationship with Cataract: A Pilot Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7369-5257","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00f3nica","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Hern\u00e1ndez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valencia San Vicente M\u00e1rtir, (Doctoral School, Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente M\u00e1rtir), Plaza de San Agust\u00edn, 3 Esc. A Entresuelo 1, 46002 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"},{"name":"Fundaci\u00f3n de Oftalmolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Avenida P\u00edo Baroja 12, 46015 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8736-0214","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mari Carmen","family":"Garc\u00eda-Domene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fundaci\u00f3n de Oftalmolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Avenida P\u00edo Baroja 12, 46015 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Optics and Optometry and Vision Sciences, Physics School, University of Valencia, Avinguda Vicent Andr\u00e9s Estell\u00e9s 19, 46100 Burjassot, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mariola","family":"Penad\u00e9s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fundaci\u00f3n de Oftalmolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Avenida P\u00edo Baroja 12, 46015 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"},{"name":"Surgery Department, Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5992-5006","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Peris-Mart\u00ednez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fundaci\u00f3n de Oftalmolog\u00eda M\u00e9dica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Avenida P\u00edo Baroja 12, 46015 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"},{"name":"Biomedic Science Department, CEU Cardenal Herrera University, Calle Santiago Ram\u00f3n y Cajal s\/n, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain"},{"name":"Avi\u00f1\u00f3-Peris Eye Clinic, Av. de l\u2019Oest 34, 46001 Val\u00e8ncia, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chen, S., Li, X., Huang, L., Feng, Q., Lu, H., and Mu, J. (2025). 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