TNF-alpha promoter polymorphisms and primary open-angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a multifactorial optic neuropathy with a strong hereditary component. Recent studies suggested a role for tumour necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) in the pathogenesis of POAG. The purpose of the present study was to investigate a hypothesized association between the TNF-alpha-308G>A and -238G>A gene polymorphisms and the presence of POAG in a Caucasian population.


METHODS
The present case-control study comprised 114 unrelated patients with POAG and 228 healthy control subjects, matched for age and gender. Genotyping of the TNF-alpha-308G>A and -238G>A polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Allelic frequencies and genotype distributions of both the TNF-alpha-308G>A and -238G>A gene polymorphisms did not significantly differ between patients with POAG and control subjects. Presence of the TNF-alpha-308A-allele was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.96 for POAG, whereas an OR of 0.52 was found among carriers of the TNF-alpha-238A-allele.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that none of the investigated TNF-alphagene polymorphisms is a major risk factor among Caucasian patients with POAG.
Mossböck
G
G
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria. mossboeckg@gmx.net
Weger
M
M
Moray
M
M
Renner
W
W
Haller-Schober
E M
EM
Mattes
D
D
Schmut
O
O
Wegscheider
B
B
El-Shabrawi
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha