We are excited to share a new article by Ying-Bo Shui, Ying Liu, Andrew J. W. Huang & Carla J. Siegfried, titled “SDPR Expression in Human Trabecular Meshwork and Its Potential Role in Racial Disparities of Glaucoma,” has been published online in the journal Scientific Reports. This significant research highlights the molecular differences in gene expression that may contribute to why primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) affects Black individuals more severely and frequently than White individuals.
Washington University Ophthalmology researchers conducted a study to explore why primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) affects Black individuals more frequently and severely than White individuals. They looked at differences in gene expression in a specific part of the eye called the trabecular meshwork (TM), which plays a role in the development of glaucoma.
They compared TM tissue from White and Black individuals with POAG using RNA sequencing. They found that a gene named SDPR was expressed at lower levels in TM cells of Black individuals with POAG compared to White individuals. This gene encodes a protein (SDPR) that is involved in regulating eye pressure, an important risk factor for glaucoma.
To confirm these findings, they analyzed healthy TM tissue from both racial groups for both gene (PCR) and protein expression (immunohistochemistry/Western blot), and structural differences (electron microscopy) in the cells. They found that SDPR expression was lower in TM tissue from Black individuals with POAG compared to healthy TM tissue from both racial groups.
These findings suggest that reduced SDPR expression in the TM may contribute to the development of glaucoma, particularly in Black individuals. Understanding these genetic differences could lead to personalized treatments for glaucoma and help address racial disparities in this disease.
We invite you to read the full article in Scientific Reports to explore these groundbreaking insights further and consider the potential implications for targeted therapies that could significantly improve outcomes for those disproportionately affected by POAG.