Glaucoma database

Glaucoma, a complex heterogenous disease, is the leading cause for optic nerve-related blindness worldwide. Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common subset and by the year 2020 it is estimated that approximately 60 million people will be affected. MYOC, OPTN, CYP1B1 and WDR36 are the important candidate genes. Nearly 4% of the glaucoma patients have mutation in any one of these genes. Mutation in any of these genes causes disease either directly or indirectly and the severity of the disease varies according to position of the genes. We have compiled all the related mutations and SNPs in the above genes and developed a database, to help access statistical and clinical information of particular mutation. This database is available online at http:bicmku.in:8081/glaucoma The database, constructed using SQL, contains data pertaining to the SNPs and mutation information involved in the above genes and relevant study data. AVAILABILITY: The database is available for free at http:bicmku.in:8081/glaucoma.     

Prostaglandins and Glaucoma

Human aqueous humour was found to contain a substance which contracted the rat stomach strip. The mean activity was significantly higher in specimens from open angle glaucoma cases than in specimens from patients with cataract. The pharmacological and chromatographic properties of the active material were studied in aqueous humour obtained from cadavers; activity seemed to be due to prostaglandin E₁. These results suggest that prostaglandin E₁ may play some part in the aetiology of open angle glaucoma.