| Popis: |
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a multifactorial disease in which both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Among the environmental factors associated with POAG, nutritional factors are particularly important since nutrition is essential for maintaining good health. Researchers can study the interactions between nutrition and genes by means of nutritional genomics, but nutrigenomics studies regarding eye diseases are very scarce. This research group recently published one of the first studies on nutrigenomics in POAG. It was found that the rs1279683 polymorphism in the SLC23A2 gene, which encodes a vitamin C transporter, is associated with a higher risk of POAG. Similarly, it was found that plasma levels of vitamin C are lower in glaucoma patients compared with healthy people and that the SLC23A2 genotype modifies these plasma vitamin C levels. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to extend our knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms of glaucomatous disease. |
