Bone morphogenic proteins (bmp),bmp receptors and bmp binding proteins and their use in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and kits for diagnosing and treating glaucoma.

Description

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention discloses methods and reagents for diagnosing and treating glaucoma and related disorders. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART [0002]“Glaucomas” are a group of debilitating eye diseases that are the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States and other developed nations. Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (“POAG”), the most common form of glaucoma, is characterized by the degeneration of the trabecular meshwork, leading to obstruction of the normal ability of aqueous humor to leave the eye without closure of the space (e.g., the “angle”) between the iris and cornea (Vaughan, D. et al., (1992)). A characteristic of such obstruction in this disease is an increased intraocular pressure (“IOP”), resulting in progressive visual loss and blindness if not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion. The disease is estimated to affect between 0.4% and 3.3% of all adults over 40 years old (Leske, M. C. et al. (1986); Bengtsson,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018] Typically, the primer sequences will have a length of between about 10, 15 or 18 nucleotides to about 20, or to about 30 nucleotides. Longer sequences, e.g., 40, 50, 80, 90, 95, 100, even up to full length, are even more preferred for certain embodiments. Lengths of oligonucleotides of at least about 18 to 20 nucleotides are well accepted by those of skill in the art as sufficient to allow sufficiently specific hybridization so as to be useful as a molecular probe, as described by Lathe (1985), which reference is specifi

Problems solved by technology

A characteristic of such obstruction in this disease is an increased intraocular pressure (“IOP”), resulting in progressive visual loss and blindness if not treated appropriately and in a timely fashion.

Unfortunately, because glaucomatous and normal pressure ranges overlap, such methods are of limited value unless multiple readings are obtained (Hitchings, R. A., (1993); Tuck, M. W. et al.

These therapies lower IOP, but they do not directly address the pathogenic mechanisms, and the disease continues to progress.

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