Neurotrophic factors in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and age-related cataract. Part 2. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    Abstract

    Neurotrophic factors in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and age-related cataract. Part 2. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

    A.A. Shpak , A.B. Gekht , T.A. Druzhkova , K.I. Kozlova , N.V. Gulyaeva

    The S. Fyodorov Eye Microsurgery Federal State Institution, Moscow
Research and Practice Psychoneurological Center, Department of Health of Moscow, Moscow
Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

    Purpose. To study the content of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the aqueous humor (AH), lacrimal fluid (LF), and blood serum (BS) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and age-related cataract.

    Material and methods. We examined 141 people (141 eyes), of them 55 patients with POAG combined with age-related cataract, 57 patients with age-related cataract, and 29 persons without ophthalmic pathology. The content of BDNF in the AH (except healthy individuals), LF and BS was studied.

    Results. The levels of BDNF in LF and BS did not differ in cataract patients and healthy controls. Compared to patients with cataract the concentration of BDNF in patients with cataract and POAG was significantly reduced in the AH and LF (P<0.001), and in BS (P<0.05). In the early stage of POAG there was a significant decrease in the level of BDNF in all studied biological fluids (P<0.001), particularly pronounced in the AH – by more than 2.5 times. In subsequent stages, the BDNF levels consequentially increased in comparison with the early POAG, remaining, however, lower relative to the cataract patients (the difference was significant for the AH and LF, the correlation of the content of BDNF in the AH with the perimetric index VFI was negative: correlation coefficient r=-0.404, P=0.002). The level of BDNF in the AH showed a strong correlation with its concentration in the LF (r=0.66, P<0.000). A formula is proposed for an approximate calculation of the level of BDNF in the AH by its content in the LF.

    Conclusion. The content of BDNF in the AH, LF and BS is significantly reduced in patients with POAG, especially in its early stage. In subsequent stages, reduction of the level of BDNF in the AH and LF is consistently less pronounced, but remains decreased. A strong correlation of the content of BDNF in the AH with its concentration in the LF is established, which opens up new opportunities for indirect assessment of the level of BDNF in the AH of patients with POAG.

    Key words: brain-derived neurotrophic factor, primary open-angle glaucoma, age-related cataract, aqueous humor, lacrimal fluid, blood serum.