Study on optineurin gene polymorphism in Chinese patients with primary open angle glaucoma

Abstract

Background Primary open angle glaucoma(POAG) is a common type of glaucoma.It has been well known that a lot of factors are associated with the pathogenesis of POAG,but genetic factor plays a critical role.Optineurin (OPTN)gene is the second confirmed POAG-relevant gene,and screening its mutation in the population contribute to the deeply understanding of the pathogenesis of POAG.Objective The present study was to investigate the association between sequence variants of OPTN gene and POAG in Chinese patients.Methods DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of 100 POAG patients and 60 cataract individuals.The coding exons of OPTN gene were amplified by PCR.PCR products were then sequenced directly to assay the variants and contrasted to original sequence in GenBank.This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Shenzhen Eye Hospital.All the subjects signed the written inform consent.Results A case-controlled study was designed.The mean intraocular pressure (IOP)of the POAG patients was (29.0±6.5)mmHg,and that of the cataract patients was (13.7 ±2.4)mmHg.Variant of synonymous coding T34T was found in 60 POAG patients.Genetic type frequencies of AA,GA and GG were 10％,50％ and 40％ in the POAG patients,and those of cataract patients were 0,25％ and 75％ respectively,showing significant difference between them (x2 =20.416,P =0.000).The allele frequencies of A and G were 35％ and 65％ in the POAG patients,and those of cataract patients were 12.5％ and 87.5％,with a statistically significant difference (x2 ＝ 19.464,P =0.000).The sequence changes of non-synonymous coding variants (M98K,691-692insA G,R545Q,H486R) were also found in both POAG and cataract patients,but no significant difference was seen in the genetype and allele frequencies between two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusions No obvious association of OPTN gene variant with POAG is verified.The variant of T34T maybe increase the risk of POAG. Key words: Primary open angle glaucoma; Gene polymorphism; Optineurin gene