Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine the existence of relative higher abundance of potential transcription factors in glaucomatous trabecular meshwork (TM) that may bind putative promoter regions and affect cochlin protein expression in glaucomatous compared to normal TM.
Methods: :
Combinatorial bioinformatics and biochemical analyses, using human glaucomatous and normal donor tissue (n= 4 each). Biochemical analysis included electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), filter binding assays (FBA), coupled in vitro transcription-translation (TNT) assays and promoter mutation analysis.
Results: :
Combinatorial bioinformatics and biochemical analyses revealed the existence of higher abundance of transcription factors (TFs) in glaucomatous compared to that in normal TM nuclear extract. The relative high abundance of TFs, leading to increased expression of cochlin, predicted by bioinformatic and biochemical analysis (EMSA and FBA) are further supported by TNT and promoter mutation TNT assays.
Keywords: trabecular meshwork • transcription factors • anterior chamber