Gene expression differences in trabecular meshwork cells, grown in culture, from normal and glaucoma-stricken human eyes

ABSTRACT: Dr. Panjwani's laboratory is focusing on the mechanism by which galectins-3 and 7 mediate corneal epithelial cell migration. We are currently performing studies to: (i) identify and characterize the corneal epithelial cell surface and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules which serve as counterreceptors of galectin-3 and -7, to establish whether the lectins modulate corneal epithelial cell migration by binding to well known integrins, growth factor receptors, and/or ECM molecules and (ii) determine whether galectin-3 mediates corneal epithelial cell migration indirectly by modulating the expression of key adhesion and/or signal transduction molecules by using small interfering RNA, cDNA microarrays and glycogene arrays. This study seeks the role of carbohydrate-based recognition system in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. In this study, RNA preparations of four normal and five glaucoma TM samples harvested over the last year from cadavers were hybridized and analyzed using the GLYCOv2 array. We have an NIH RO3 grant award to study the role of carbohydrate-based recognition system in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. In particular, it is known that a carbohydrate-binding protein, ELAM, serves as a marker for glaucoma. Other preliminary studies in my lab have shown that galectin-8 plays a role in the adhesion and spreading of trabecular meshwork cells (TM; the cells which modulate ocular pressure) and galectin-3 influences phagocytic capacity of TM cells. These studies suggest that galectins as well as ELAM and their counterreceptors may contribute to the pathogenesis of glaucoma. We would therefore like to compare glycogene expression patterns of normal and glaucomatous TM tissue. To this end, last month we submitted RNA preparations of five each of normal and glaucoma TM tissue harvested over the last year from cadavers. The data of these samples are now being analyzed. Meanwhile, we have analyzed RNA preparations of TM cells grown in culture from five normal and six glaucoma eyes. It is our hope that data from the two projects will enable us conclusively identify glycogenes which are differentially expressed in normal and glaucoma TM cell. Overall, the goal is to shed light on the role of carbohydrate-based recognition system and the carbohydrate-binding proteins in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Steven Head 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-27058 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress