Is Netrin-1 Deficiency Responsible for Inflammation and Systemic Diseases Related to Pseudoexfoliation?

PRECIS

Serum netrin-1 levels are significantly lower in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PES) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (PEG) compared with the control group.

PURPOSE

To investigate serum netrin-1 levels in PES and PEG patients and to determine the relevance of this molecule in the etiopathogenesis of PES-related and PEG-related diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included 29 PES and 17 PEG patients in the study groups and age-sex matched 47 cataract patients without pseudoexfoliative accumulation as a control group. Serum netrin-1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Serum netrin-1 level was significantly lower in the PES and PEG groups compared with the control group (P=0.007). Multinominal logistic regression analysis was performed in terms of netrin-1 levels ≤712.9 pg/mL, >712.9 pg/mL and sex which may affect PES and PEG. It were found that netrin-1 was a significant negative predictor for PES (odds ratio, 3.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.230-9.716; P=0.019) and PEG (odds ratio, 3.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.008-12.669; P=0.049), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased serum netrin-1 levels were detected in PES and PEG patients, similar to atherosclerosis and Alzheimer disease. Inflammation lays behind in the common pathogenesis of these diseases. Therefore, netrin-1 promises a potential anti-inflammatory role.