Glaucoma as a Neurodegenerative Disease Caused by Intrinsic Vulnerability Factors

0538527 - ÚEM 2021 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Artero-Castro, A. - Rodriguez-Jiménez, F.J. - Jendelová, Pavla - VanderWall, K.B. - Jason, S.M. - Erceg, Slaven
Glaucoma as a Neurodegenerative Disease Caused by Intrinsic Vulnerability Factors.
Progress in Neurobiology. Roč. 193, oct (2020), č. článku 101817. ISSN 0301-0082. E-ISSN 1873-5118
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA18-04393S; GA MŠMT(CZ) EF15_003/0000419
Institutional support: RVO:68378041
Keywords : environment * biomonitoring * biomarkers
OECD category: Neurosciences (including psychophysiology
Impact factor: 11.685, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301008220300721?via%3Dihub

Glaucoma, one of the most common causes of blindness in developing countries today, involves a progressive loss of neural cells in the optic nerve that leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) presents as a major risk factor for glaucoma, although there exist cases of glaucoma patients with normal IOP that exhibit damage to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the optic nerve. However, treatment approaches have maintained their focus on modifying IOP due to a lack of other modifiable risks factors. Traditional concepts in glaucoma involve the neuronal environment and external effects as a source of causative factors, however, studies have yet to investigate whether the molecular profile of RGCs in glaucoma patients makes them more vulnerable and/or susceptible to external damage. Our hypothesis states that molecular changes at the whole cell, gene expression, and electrophysiological level of the neurons can contribute to their degeneration. Herein, we briefly describe different types of glaucoma and any similarities to different molecular and cellular features of neurodegeneration. To test our hypothesis, we describe human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) as a reliable cellular tool to model neurodegenerative aspects of glaucoma to reveal the multiple pathological molecular mechanisms underlying disease development.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0316320