GENE ASSOCIATING OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA INCLUDING NORMAL OCULAR TENSION GLAUCOMA

摘要

Polynucleotides having substitution of thymine (T) by cytosine (C) at the -153 position of myocilin gene are identified as glaucoma-associated gene. To detect these polynucleotides, use can be made of primers of SEQ ID NOS:3 to 6 and probes of SEQ ID NOS:7 and 8. Also, kits with the use of the primers of SEQ ID NOS:3 to 6 or the probes of SEQ ID NOS:7 can be provided. Use of these kits makes it possible to detect normal ocular tension glaucoma and open-angle glaucoma at a much higher frequency than in a case with the use of glaucoma-associated genes reported hitherto. Also, these kits are usable in screening glaucoma in patients with a fear of hereditary glaucoma or asymptomatic carriers. Moreover, it becomes possible for the first time to diagnose open-angle glaucoma including normal ocular tension glaucoma prior to the onset.