Figure 1. Expression of K6W-ubiquitin in lens epithelial cells upregulates cytoplasmic, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondrial chaperones. Lens epithelial cells were infected with the adenovirus encoding K6W-ubiquitin or the control adenovirus for 48 h. Total RNA was extracted, and the levels of mRNA for these chaperones were determined by real-time RT–PCR using GAPDH as a reference. The level of mRNA for these chaperones in cells infected by the control adenovirus was arbitrarily designated as 1. The level of mRNA for these chaperones in cells that express K6W-ubiquitin were normalized with the control and expressed as relative levels. Panel A shows the expression of cytoplasmic chaperones. Panel B shows the expression of ER chaperones, an ER stress-related factor, and a mitochondrial chaperone.