Abstract
Purpose: :
Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is an antioxidative enzyme involved in the protection againts oxidative stress in the cell and may have an important role in many age-related diseases, including age-related cataract. We studied the polymorphism V16A of MnSOD in Estonian patients with age-related cataract.
Methods: :
To genotype cataract patients (n=492) and controls (n=186), TaqMan® SNP genotyping assay for V16A (rs4880) in MnSOD was used. The cataract group was divided into different subtypes; cortical (n=151), nuclear (n=75), posterior subcapsular (n=119) and mixed (n=147) cataract. Statistical analyses were performed using Χ2-test and binary logistic regression including relevant covariates (age, sex, smoking habits, genotypes and cataract subtypes).
Results: :
An association between cortical cataract and the Ala/Ala genotype (P=0.027) was found at a univariate level but not in the multivariate analysis. Genotype frequencies for V16A were 15.9 (Val/Val), 45.0 (Val/Ala), 39.1 (Ala/Ala) % for cortical cataract patients and 20.4 (Val/Val), 52.2 (Val/Ala), 27.4 (Ala/Ala) % for the control group. No association between the subtypes; nuclear, posterior subcapsular, mixed cataract and genotypes of V16A was found, nor between the whole cataract group and the controls. Current smoking was associated with cataract diagnosis (P=0.037) in the logistic regression model.
Conclusions: :
The V16A polymorphism in MnSOD does not play a major role in cataract disease, indicating that other antioxidative enzymes, are more important to prevent oxidative stress in the lens.
Keywords: cataract • genetics • oxidation/oxidative or free radical damage