Ricerc@Sapienza

Background. Glaucoma (GL) is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness and nowadays there are no treatments that improve visual outcome in glaucomatous patients.
Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is the first discovered and best defined neurotrophic factor, it belongs to neurotrophins' (NTs) family and currently represents the most promising future approach for the identification, treatment and monitoring of ophthalmological diseases.
Evidences from both experimental and clinical studies show that NGF may prevent apoptosis and stimulate nerve cells recovery in retinal and optic nerve (ON) diseases, including GL.
The introduction of neuroprotective and neuroregenerative treatments would pave the way for a succesful management of these diseases.
Purpose. The present study aims to evaluate the potential of NGF and its precursors as biomarkers of disease progression in GL and to investigate the different profiles of NGF and NTs in glaucomatous population in order to identify patients candidate for NGF treatments.
Design. Prospective, cross-sectional study.
Methods. Patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for early GL (n. 5), moderate GL (n. 5), advanced GL (n. 5) and normal age-matched controls (n. 15) will undergo a complete ophtalmological evaluation including morpho-functional visual examinations. Partecipants will be followed for one year characterizing the NGF pathway and NTs' profile associated with clinical parameters, tears and conjunctival epithelium collection as well as blood sample for NGF and NTs detection.
Results. Levels of NGF, NTs and their precursors and receptors will be evaluated in GL patients' peripheral blood, tears and conjunctival epithelium to identify both biomarkers predictive of GL outcome and a target population of NTs treatment.