Fatty acids and glaucoma

Abstract

AbstractRetinal cell membranes are known to be rich in ether‐linked phospholipids also termed as “plasmalogens”. Although their functions remain enigmatic, plasmalogens are considered as reservoirs of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These PUFAs were shown to be released from plasmalogens by specific enzymes under specific conditions in order to play several key functions within cells. Data from our laboratory suggest that the metabolism of plasmalogens and PUFAs may be implicated in the pathophysiology of glaucoma, the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Through several experiments on human patients and rodent models of ocular hypertony, we have shown that the metabolism of plasmalogens and PUFAs is affected in patients with primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) in a stage‐dependent manner, that the modifications in plasmalogen metabolism may start years prior the first clinical symptoms of POAG, and that several combinations of dietary PUFAs could be efficient in preventing retinal glaucomatous damage in rodents.