Research for blood RNA marker predicting prognosis of glaucoma focusing on the early and individualized medicine.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26293372
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Nakazawa Toru 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (30361075)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 丸山 和一 東北大学, 大学病院, 講師 (10433244) ; 河合 純 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 産学連携本部 予防医療・診断技術開発プログラム, 副プログラムディレクター (30391923) ; 西口 康二 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (30447825) ; 國方 彦志 東北大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (40361092) ; 田中 佑治 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 情報基盤センター(ACCC), 研究員 (40625513)
• Research Collaborator: ITO Masayoshi ; KAWAJI Hideya
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 緑内障 / RNA / バイオマーカー / CAGE法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glaucoma is a chronic ocular disease that is often influenced by high intraocular pressure, resulting in irreversible loss of visual field. Visual field loss caused by glaucoma is progressive, thus, we should diagnose glaucoma at its early stages and start the treatment if indicated. The goal of the present study is to identify biomarkers for glaucoma, through investigating the translational profiles of RNA derived from blood.
Thirty-two patients with normal tension glaucoma and 32 controls with ocular diseases which have little association with genetic factors were recruited in the present study. RNA was extracted from the peripheral blood. Activation of promoters of all the genes were comprehensively quantitated using cap analysis gene expression (CAGE) technique. We selected the candidate genes as biomarker according to the result of the differential analysis of the two groups. The promoters identified hold promise for their clinical application as biomarkers for glaucoma.

Free Research Field

緑内障