Association of Apolipoprotein E-219T > G Promoter Polymorphism with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma in Turkish Population

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the association between apolipoprotein E (APOE) -219 T >G promoter polymorphism and primary open angle glaucoma(POAG). METHODS: Patients and healthy subjects were genotyped with polymerase chain reaction -restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Genotype/ allele frequencies were compared between 122 healthy subjects and in 75 POAG patients using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Although the frequency of APOE-219 GG genotype was higher in POAG group (13.3%) than in control group (6.6%), this finding was not statistically significant (P=0.09). In glaucoma patients carrying GG genotype, mean linear CID ratio was higher and progression was more compared to glaucoma patients with GT genotype. CONCLUSION: APOE-219 T >G polymorphism does not seem to be a risk factor for the presence of glaucoma, but might play a role in deterioration of the disease, which needs further evaluation.