Effect and current reseaches of extracellular matrix remodeling on primary open angle glaucoma

• Main Authors: Yu Pang, Ling Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS) 2016-04-01
• Series: Guoji Yanke Zazhi
• Subjects: extracellular matrix; primary open angle glaucoma; retinal ganglion cells
• Online Access: http://ies.ijo.cn/cn_publish/2016/4/201604016.pdf

Glaucoma is characterized by optic atrophy and visual field defect. The pathological elevated intraocular pressure is the leading risk factor for glaucoma. The pathological characteristic of glaucoma is apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs)and their axon loss. Changes of the amounts and compositions of the extracellular matrix(ECM)play a crucial role in the structure of trabecular meshwork, lamina cribrose of opitic nerve head and the apoptosis of RGCs. The expression of transforming growth factor-β2(TGF-β2)increases in trabecular meshwork and aqueous humor for glaucomatic patients, which leads to elevated intraocular pressure by secretion and accumulation of ECM. Elevated intraocular pressure causes changes in ECM of optic nerve head and retina, resulting in blocked transport of neurotrophins, the high level of matrix metalloproteinase(MMPs)-9 and low level of laminin respectively, which eventually lead to the apoptosis of RGCs. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between ECM and glaucoma, which may provide a new direction for glaucomatous pathogenesis and therapy.