Exclusion of transforming growth factor-beta1 as a candidate gene for myopia in the Japanese.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) gene are associated with high myopia in Japanese. Previous studies have indicated that the gene expression products, regulators of the TGF-beta1 gene, are involved in high myopia.


METHODS
Genomic DNA samples were obtained from 330 Japanese patients with high myopia and 330 Japanese controls without high myopia who were chosen at random. SNPs were genotyped by the TaqMan system, using primer extension and polymerase chain reaction amplification.


RESULTS
Ten SNPs were identified in the high-myopia patients and controls, with four of the ten SNPs having nonsynonymous changes. However, no statistical differences in the SNPs were detected between the high-myopia cases and the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Sequence variants of the TGF-beta1 gene were not associated significantly with high myopia, and further studies are needed to identify which genes are responsible for high myopia.
Hayashi
Takahiko
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. amg-igf@goo.jp
Inoko
Hidetoshi
H
Nishizaki
Ritsuko
R
Ohno
Shigeaki
S
Mizuki
Nobuhisa
N
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics*
D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1