Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) belongs to neurodegenerative diseases. Its etiology is not fully understood. However, a lot of reports have indicated that many biochemical molecules are involved in the retinal ganglion cell damage. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate a relationship between HDAC6, CXCR3, and SIRT1 genes expression levels with the occurrence risk of POAG and its progression.
Materials and methods: The study included 34 glaucoma patients and 32 subjects without glaucoma symptoms. RNA was isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Level of mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR method.
Results: Our results have shown significant association of the HDAC6 and SIRT1 expression levels with progression of POAG according to rim area (RA) value, p = 0.041; p = 0.012. Moreover, the analysis of the CXCR3 expression level showed a correlation with progression of POAG based on RA and cup disc ratio (c/d) value, p = 0.006 and p = 0.012, respectively.
Conclusions: The expression level of HDAC6, CXCR3, and SIRT1 genes may be involved in the progression of POAG.
Keywords: Genes expression; glaucoma; neurodegeneration; progression.