Analysis of the polymorphic variants of RAN and GEMIN3 genes and risk of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in the Polish population.

BACKGROUND

Glaucoma is considered as a neurodegenerative disorder in which the optic nerve damage leads to irreversible blindness. Many scientific findings indicate miRNA implication in the neurodegeneration process. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the polymorphic variants of miRNA processing genes, RAN (rs14035) and GEMIN3 (rs197388), and their association with a risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in relation to selected clinical parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 246 POAG patients and 188 controls. The selected gene polymorphisms were analyzed by TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay using DNA extracted from blood samples.

RESULTS

The obtained results indicated that the AA genotype of rs197388 as well as the A allele in the same gene may be associated with an elevated risk of POAG development (P = 0.021, P = 0.017 respectively). The correlation between the data and clinical parameters has shown that the A allele of rs197388 in relation to retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) could be responsible for an increased risk of glaucoma occurrence (P = 0.028), while the AT genotype could be associated with a decreased risk of POAG according to the mean deviation parameter (P = 0.023).

CONCLUSION

Our data has shown that GEMIN3 gene (rs197388) polymorphisms might be associated with a risk of POAG development in the Polish population. This is the first report evaluating the polymorphic variants of miRNA processing genes, RAN and GEMIN3, with a changed risk of glaucoma.