title: Levels of antibodies against human heat shock protein (HSP) 60 in patients with glaucoma in Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although elevated intraocular pressure is a major risk factor for the development of glaucoma, there is increasing evidence that the immune system may be involved in the development of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). The aim of this study was to determine if NTG is associated with elevated levels of antibodies against human heat shock protein (HSP) 60.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in 139 subjects (35 subjects with NTG [Group 1], 34 subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma /POAG/ [Group 2], 24 subjects with autoimmune rheumatic diseases [Group 3], and 36 healthy controls [Group 4]). All subjects had complete ophthalmologic examination (visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, tonometry, gonioscopy; visual-field examination, and optical coherence tomography /OCT/ of the optic nerve head and the macula). Blood samples were collected for the measurements of serum levels of antibodies against human HSP60.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subjects with rheumatic diseases had the highest median serum level of antibodies against HSP60 - 20.49 ng/mL. The values in the subjects with NTG, POAG, and in controls were 18.79 ng/mL, 18.61 ng/mL and 17.61 ng/mL, respectively (p=0.96).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not confirm the hypothesis that normal-tension glaucoma is associated with elevated blood levels of antibodies against human heat shock protein (HSP) 60.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Iwona
authors: I
authors: Grabska-Liberek
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Katarzyna
authors: K
authors: Skonieczna
authors: Department of Connective Tissue Diseases, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Marzena
authors: M
authors: Olesińska
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Terelak-Borys
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Jarosław
authors: J
authors: Kocięcki
authors: Department of Connective Tissue Diseases, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Sikora
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Jamrozy-Witkowska
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Tesla
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Czarnocka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018834:Chaperonin 60