miRNAs in primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which is the leading
cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. As a response to high
intraocular pressure, the clinical and molecular glaucoma biomarkers
indicate the biological state of the visual system. Classical and
uncovering novel biomarkers of glaucoma development and progression,
follow-up, and monitoring the response to treatment are key objectives to
improve vision outcomes. While the glaucoma imaging field has successfully
validated biomarkers of disease progression, there is still a considerable
need for developing new biomarkers of early glaucoma, that is, at the
preclinical and initial glaucoma stages. Outstanding clinical trials and
animal-model study designs, innovative technology, and analytical
approaches in bioinformatics are essential tools to successfully uncover
novel glaucoma biomarkers with a high potential for translation into
clinical practice. To better understand the clinical and
biochemical–molecular–genetic glaucoma pathogenesis, we conducted an
analytical, observational, and case-comparative/control study in 358
primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and 226 comparative-control
individuals to collect tears, aqueous humor, and blood to process for
identifying POAG biomarkers by exploring several biological pathways, such
as inflammation, neurotransmitter/neurotrophin alteration, oxidative
stress, gene expression, miRNAs fingerprint and its biological targets,
and vascular endothelial dysfunction. We are incredibly enthusiastic about
gathering as much information as possible on POAG biomarkers to learn how
this information can be used to better steer the diagnosis and therapy of
glaucoma to prevent blindness in the predictable future.