Investigation of the Rho-kinase Gene Polymorphism in Primary Open-angle Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: Genetic factors are shown to have a role in the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms of Rho-kinase (ROCK) genes on the risk of POAG in a Turkish population.

METHODS

Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes of the peripheral blood, and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ROCK1 and ROCK2 genes were analysed in 179 patients with POAG and in 182 healthy controls of similar age by using BioMark HD dynamic array system.

RESULTS

Neither genotype distributions nor the allele frequencies for the ROCK1 (rs35996865) and ROCK2 [rs2290156, rs965665, rs10178332, rs2230774 (Thr431Asn), rs2230774 (Thr431Ser), rs6755196, and rs726843] gene polymorphisms showed a significant difference between the groups. There were also no marked associations between the haplotype frequencies and POAG.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to examine the involvement of ROCK1 and ROCK2 gene variations in the risk of POAG development. This study demonstrated that the polymorphisms studied are not associated with the increased risk of development of POAG in the Turkish population.