The researchers from the Medical University of Bialystok (Michal Andrzej Okruszko, Maciej Szablowski, Mateusz Zarzecki, Magdalena Michnowska-Kobylinska, Lukasz Lisowski, Magda Lapinska, Zofia Stachurska, Anna Szpakowicz, Karol Adam Kaminski, Joanna Konopinska) published the article "Inflammation and Neurodegeneration in Glaucoma: Isolated Eye Disease or a Part of a Systemic Disorder? - Serum Proteomic Analysis" in the Journal of Inflammation Research.
Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure and progressive atrophy of the optic nerve, which is the nerve pathway connecting the retina to the brain. The condition is called glaucomatous neuropathy and affects a significant portion of the population between 40 and 80. As damage to the optic nerve progresses, visual field losses occur, leading to a gradual loss of vision. The World Health Organization has placed glaucoma on the list of diseases of civilization, that is, diseases that have arisen with the development of civilization and changes in society's lifestyle. It is also one of the most common causes of blindness. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to find glaucoma biomarkers that would enable early diagnosis and increase knowledge of the disease's pathogenesis.
The study's aim was to identify factors that may act as biomarkers in the serum of glaucoma patients and their associations with other general diseases. Although most studies to date have focused on selected glaucoma-related biomarkers, this study is the first to analyze such a broad spectrum of inflammatory and neurotrophic biomarkers in serum. The expression levels of 92 inflammatory and neurotrophic factors in 26 patients with glaucoma were examined. They found significantly lower expression of IL-2Rβ, TWEAK, CX3CL1, CD6, CD5, LAP TGF-beta1, LIF-R, TRAIL, NT-3 and CCL23, and significantly higher expression of IL-22Rα 1. These differences provide insight into the role of inflammation and neurodegeneration in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. The authors emphasize the need for further research into the pathophysiological mechanisms of glaucoma and the need to develop therapies to reduce inflammation and neurodegeneration.
Link to the article: Inflammation and Neurodegeneration in Glaucoma: Isolated Eye Disease or a Part of a Systemic Disorder? - Serum Proteomic Analysis