Clinical research
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with normal-tension glaucoma

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optm.2008.09.014Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to detect and measure brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the tears of normal subjects and patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).

Materials and Methods

Twenty patients with NTG as the case group and 20 normal subjects with the same age range as the control group were tested. The control group consisted of 16 men and 4 women, ranging in age from 40 to 75, without any apparent ocular or systemic disease. The case group consisted of 15 men and 5 women, ranging in age from 45 to 74. BDNF levels in tears were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using monoclonal antibodies specific for BDNF (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Results

The mean level of BDNF detected in the tears of the normal subjects was 77.09 ± 4.84 ng/mL and the BDNF levels in the tears of case group were 24.33 ± 1.48 ng/mL (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

We suggest that BDNF in the tears might be a useful biochemical marker for early detection of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Twenty patients as the case group and 20 people without apparent disease as age-matched control group were tested. The control group consisted of 16 men and 4 women, ranging in age from 40 to 75, and without any apparent ocular or systemic disease.

NTG was diagnosed when the following criteria were present: (1) a wedge-shaped or diffuse retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defect in an RNFL photograph, (2) an IOP consistently lower than 21 mmHg without medication over at least 5 consecutive

Results

The mean levels of BDNF detected in the tears of the normal male subjects were 77.26 ± 4.93 and 76.4 ± 5.1 in normal female subjects. The mean level of BDNF detected in the tears of the NTG male patients was 24.29 ± 1.45 and 24.45 ± 1.74 in NTG female patients. We found no significant difference in tear BDNF levels according to the subjects' gender in both groups (P > 0.05).

The mean level of BDNF detected in the tears of the normal subjects (male and female) was 77.09 ± 4.84 ng/mL, and the BDNF

Discussion

Although several different etiologies of glaucoma have been presented by scientists, current thinking is that ultimately the visual field is affected through apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The RGCs receiving proper chemical signaling from brain neurons and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) do not commence the apoptosis. The related brain neurons and LGN impose their neuroprotective effects on the RGCs through a retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors (NTs), especially

Acknowledgements

Dr. Ghaffariyeh has a patent pending: BDNF as biomarker in glaucoma (U.S. application number 61078384). The remaining authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein. This study was done in Dr. Khodadoust Eye Hospital. There is no financial relationship with this center.

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