0000000000179253
AUTHOR
Sabine Beck
Autoimmune biomarkers in glaucoma patients.
There is growing evidence showing an autoimmune involvement in the pathogenesis of glaucoma, and that alterations in natural occurring autoantibody levels play a key role. The upregulation of autoantibodies can be associated with fatal conditions, but several studies demonstrate that natural autoantibodies entail also protective characteristics and influence the protein expression of neuroretinal cells. A disbalance of natural occurring autoantibodies may shift the physiological equilibrium of protective immunity leading to a predisposition for developing glaucoma. This article highlights recent advances in understanding of autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
Does autoimmunity play a part in the pathogenesis of glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative disease and one of the leading causes of blindness. Several risk factors have been described, e.g. an elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), oxidative stress or mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, alterations in serum antibody profiles of glaucoma patients, upregulation (e.g. anti-HSP60, anti-MBP) and downregulation (e.g. anti-14-3-3), have been described, but it still remains elusive if the autoantibodies seen in glaucoma are an epiphenomenon or causative. However, it is known that elicited autoimmunity causes retinal ganglion cell loss resulting in glaucomatous-like damage and according to the autoaggressive nature of some autoantibodies we found…
Ocular pulse amplitude in patients with open angle glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma, and ocular hypertension.
Intraocular pressure (IOP) is not a fixed constant value but rather has pulsatile components associated with cardiac action. The SmartLens dynamic observing tonometer (odc, Ophthalmic Development Company AG, Zurich, Switzerland) can measure and record simultaneously IOP and ocular pulse amplitude (OPA). It was the aim of this study to evaluate OPA in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and high IOP, normal tension glaucoma (NTG), and ocular hypertension (OHT). Furthermore, the authors examined whether there were any correlations with blood pressure.80 subjects were divided into four groups (n=20): 20 patients each with POAG, NTG, and OHT and 20 volunteers without any ocular pat…
Course of serum autoantibodies in patients after acute angle-closure glaucoma attack
Background The aim of our current investigation was to analyze the autoantibody -reactivities of patients after acute angle closure glaucoma (AACG) by means of a protein microarray approach to identify intraocular pressure (IOP)-dependent antibodies. Methods Collected sera from different study time points (AACG n = 6, 0, 2, 4 and 12 weeks) and control group (CTRL n = 11, 0 and 12 weeks) were analyzed. Protein-microarrays were incubated with sera and occurring immunoreactivities were visualized with fluorescence labeled anti-human-IgG antibodies. To detect changes, spot intensities were digitized and compared with statistical techniques. Results Three autoantibodies with significant level-al…
Retinal ganglion cell loss is accompanied by antibody depositions and increased levels of microglia after immunization with retinal antigens.
BackgroundAntibodies against retinal and optic nerve antigens are detectable in glaucoma patients. Recent studies using a model of experimental autoimmune glaucoma demonstrated that immunization with certain ocular antigens causes an immun-mediated retinal ganglion cell loss in rats.Methodology/principal findingsRats immunized with a retinal ganglion cell layer homogenate (RGA) had a reduced retinal ganglion cell density on retinal flatmounts (p = 0.007) and a lower number of Brn3(+) retinal ganglion cells (p = 0.0001) after six weeks. The autoreactive antibody development against retina and optic nerve was examined throughout the study. The levels of autoreactive antibodies continuously in…
Neuroprotective effects of antibodies on retinal ganglion cells in an adolescent retina organ culture
Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (rgc). Up- and down-regulated autoantibody immunoreactivities in glaucoma patients have been demonstrated. Previous studies showed protective effects of down-regulated antibodies [gamma (γ)-synuclein and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]) on neuroretinal cells. The aim of this study was to test these protective antibody effects on rgc in an organ culture model and to get a better understanding of cell-cell interactions of the retina in the context of the protective effect. We used an adolescent retinal organ culture (pig) with an incubation time of up to 4 days. Retinal explants were…
Longitudinal Analysis of Serum Autoantibody-Reactivities in Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Optic Disc Hemorrhage.
Background The aim of our current investigation was to analyze the autoantibody-reactivities of primary open angle glaucoma patients with optic disc hemorrhage as possibly correlated to disease progression by means of a protein microarray approach. Methods Sera of patients with primary open angle glaucoma and optic disc hemorrhage (n = 16) were collected directly after study inclusion (0 weeks) and after 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 12 weeks. As a control group patients with primary open angle glaucoma (n = 18) were used (0 weeks and 12 weeks). Microarrays were incubated and occurring antibody-antigen-reactions were visualized with fluorescence labeled anti-human-IgG secondary antibodies. To detect…