Background: Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) that is the most prevalent type. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family synthesized by retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Disturbance of axonal transport of neurotrophins with optic nerve dystrophy results in deprivation of BDNF support to the RGCs inducing glaucomatous retinal cell death. Materials and methods: This case-control study was conducted on 50 POAG patients (mean age 55 ± 10) and 50 healthy control subjects (mean age 40 ± 11). Both groups underwent full ophthalmological examination. Genomic DNA was extracted followed by BDNF rs2030324 genotyping by real time PCR. Results: Correlation coefficient analysis showed significant positive correlation between age and right and left cup to disc ratio (r = 0.448, p = 0.001; r = 0.283, p = 0.004 respectively) and significant negative correlation between intraocular pressure and right and left VA (r = − 0.212, p = 0.034; r = − 0.258, p = 0.009 respectively). No significant difference between the 2 groups was found as regards genotype or alleles frequency distribution (p = 0.722). Conclusion: This study did not succeed to illustrate the role of BDNF gene polymorphism (SNP rs2030324) as a risk factor for POAG occurrence. The mechanism of glaucoma development according to the BDNF polymorphism remains unclear.
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous metabolic disorder characterized by the presence of hyperglycemia due to impairment of insulin secretion, defective insulin action or both. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a vision threatening neurovascular disease and the most dangerous complication of DM. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is an important protein for the neurons survival. It is produced in the retina by retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and encoded by BDNF gene.Objective: to clarify the association of serum BDNF levels and its gene polymorphism Val66Met (rs6265) with the development of diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients. Methodology: This case-control study was conducted on was conducted on 60 diabetic patients (30 of them having diabetic retinopathy, while the other without retinopathy), In addition to 30 healthy subjects as controls. Serum BDNF was detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism genotyping was performed by real time PCR.
Results:No statistically significant difference between DR patients, diabetic without retinopathy patients, and healthy control subjects regarding BDNF genotypes frequency distribution (p> 0.05), and/or serum BDNF levels (p > 0.05).
Conclusions:This study demonstrated that, neither BDNF Val66Met polymorphism nor serum BDNF levels were associated with development of DR.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.