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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Neuroprotection and autoimmunity in glaucoma

subject

description

In glaucoma, the elevated intraocular pressure cannot explain the disease in all patients. However, the pathogenesis of the disease is widely unknown. Biomarker research could be help to understand the disease process. Beside some genetic and proteomic biomarkers, immunoproteomics could play a significant role. Several studies could provide hints for an involvement of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of the disease. The complex profiles of natural occurring autoantibodies were analyzed by Western Blotting and mass spectrometry based techniques combined with multivariate statistics and artificial neural networks. In several studies we could demonstrate consistent up- and down-regulations of immune reactivities against ocular antigens in glaucoma patients. These findings could lead to a better understanding of the pathomechanisms involved in glaucoma, but could also lead to new innovative ways of early detection and neuroprotective treatment options of the disease.