Abstract
Purpose: :
The Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε2/3/4 polymorphism is known to affect the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. The role of ApoE in the pathogenesis of glaucoma is controversial. We investigated the association between the ApoE ε2/3/4 polymorphism and optic disc parameters in a large Caucasian population.
Methods: :
The current report is based on 1878 participants (mean age 47.3 years, range 18 - 81) of the Erasmus Rucphen Family (ERF) study, a family-based cohort study in an isolated population in the Netherlands. Optic disc area, rim area, rim/disc area ratio, vertical cup/disc ratio and cup shape measurement were determined by confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRT II; Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Dossenheim, Germany). ApoE genotypes were determined on 5 ng/µl genomic DNA samples by means of Taqman allelic discrimination technology on an ABI Prism 7900 HT Sequence Detection System with SDS v 2.1 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). We assessed whether the number of ApoE ε4 alleles, the ApoE genotype, and ApoE ε2 allele carriership were associated with optic disc parameters by means of multiple linear regression analyses, one-way ANOVA and independent-samples t tests, respectively.
Results: :
There was no statistically significant association between ApoE genotypes or allele frequencies and optic disc parameters.
Conclusions: :
The high prevalence of glaucoma in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease may suggest a common pathogenic mechanism. Our results do not support any involvement of the ApoE gene in such a common pathway.
Keywords: candidate gene analysis • optic disc • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)