Janardan Kumar
Becker College USA
Title: Aneurysm mediated release of thrombin into the aqueous humor may be a causative factor of glaucoma
Biography
Biography: Janardan Kumar
Abstract
Aneurysm mediated release of thrombin into the aqueous humor may be a causative factor of glaucoma.
Janardan Kumar, Becker College, Worcester, USA.
Glaucoma has been known to be associated with ocular hypertension due to age-related dysfunction of outflow pathway tissues. Based on the geometry of outflow pathway tissues, only the inner wall of Schlemm’s canal (SC) cells in the conventional outflow pathway appeared to be arranged as a monolayer consisting of irregular pores. Several studies suggest the biomechanical properties of the endothelial SC cells to be modulators of endothelial barrier function, outflow resistance, and intraocular pressure (IOP). Our studies of thrombin perfusion in enucleated porcine eyes ex-vivo, procured after thorough investigation of unnoticed impurities, revealed an increased outflow resistance. Of significance, as opposed to the effect of thrombin in other cell types for the endothelial barrier function, treatment of thrombin to the human endothelial SC cells monolayer permeability barrier–function assay exhibited a significant decrease in the permeability of horse-radish peroxidase. Even if there was the di-phosphorylated form of myosin light chain that is located in the peripheral region of the cell, formation of stress fibers and focal adhesions were increased significantly, and that resembles the characteristics for the activation of Rho kinase. Such cellular changes of human SC endothelial cells have been correlated with cellular contraction and/or stiffness, causing increased resistance of the outflow. Since the thrombin can cause increased outflow resistance and is known to be involved in increased extra-cellular matrix (ECM) protein deposition and fibrosis, we speculate that release of thrombin in the aqueous humor followed by an aneurysm may be associated with the etiology of glaucoma. Hence, the clinical diagnosis of an aneurysm in glaucomatous patients and detection of thrombin in glaucomatous aqueous humor would provide a better understanding of glaucoma.
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