Plasma Levels of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and Degree of DNA Fragmentation in Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a worldwide leading cause of blindness. The key feature of this ocular neuropathy is characterized by an excavating optic nerve head. Loss of retinal ganglion cells is the final end point in blinding diseases of the optic nerve such as glaucoma. It is known that neuronal cell death in glaucoma occurs by apoptotic mechanism. In earlier studies, the investigators demonstrated that the process of apoptosis is reflected in circulating leukocytes by different parameters, like differential messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression and an increased fragmentation of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Such alterations point out a relationship between cellular stress and apoptotic events. Based on the results of mRNA-expression, the investigators also expect alterations on the protein level. This study is, therefore, designed to characterize the proteome related to the proteins involved in cell death related pathways. Thus the expression pattern of several proteins in leukocytes from patients with primary open angle glaucoma will be analyzed by techniques like Western-blot and tandem mass spectrometry. These samples will be compared with healthy controls. In addition, they will be also compared with samples from patients with Parkinson's disease. Since glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease, these patients will be included as a positive control in this study.