Gut microbiota compositional profile and serum metabolic phenotype in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

The gut microbiota (GM) and its influence on host metabolism are considered to be an environmental factor that contributes to the progression of many immune and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the features of the GM and serum metabolites in Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients have not been clearly elucidated. The purpose of this research is to explore the gut microbial composition and serum metabolic phenotype in POAG patients. 16S rRNA V4 genes of bacteria from the fecal samples of 30 POAG patients and 30 healthy subjects were sequenced by the Illumina MiSeq platform and then analyzed by QIIME. Their serum samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics. The association between gut microbial species and host circulating metabolites and clinical phenotypes was also analyzed. Compared with controls, f Prevotellaceae, g unidentified Enterobacteriaceae, and s Escherichia coli increased the most in POAG patients, whereas g Megamonas and s Bacteroides plebeius significantly decreased in POAG patients. The alteration of the endogenous metabolomic profile in POAG patients included five amino acids or dipeptides, two hormone derivates, one purine derivative, one bile acid derivative and one organic acid. It also showed that citric acid was positively correlated with Megamonas, whereas L-γ-Glutamyl-L-alanine, MHPG, cholic acid glucuronide and hypoxanthine were negatively correlated with Megamonas. Mean visual acuity was negatively correlated with Blautia, mean VF-MD was negatively correlated with Faecalibacterium, and average RNFL thickness was positively correlated with Streptococcus. Our results revealed that there was a distinct difference in GM composition and serum metabolic phenotype between POAG patients and healthy individuals. This finding suggests the potential correlations between the GM and serum metabolites in the pathogenesis of glaucoma and thus provides new insight into the GM-targeted interventions of this disease.

Epidemical survey of glaucoma among Uigur peasants aged 40 years or above in Kuche rural / 中华实验眼科杂志

Background Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide;while the different types of glaucoma is vary from different region. Objective Present study was to survey the prevalence and types of glaucoma among peasants of Uigur adults in Kuche county and offer the basis for the prevent and treatment of glaucoma in Uigur nationanlity. Methods 4191 Uigur peasants aged 40 years or above were collected in Kuche county for the survey of prevalence and types of glaucoma by randomized cluster sampling in March and April of 2009. The subjects were grouped into 40-,50-,60- and ≥70 years groups according to the distribution of age. The disease history of glaucoma, regular eye examination, funds examination and measurement of the anterior chamber depth, gonioscope were performed in the all subjects. Darkroom prone test and mydriasis test were carried out in suspicious glaucomous patients. The depth of periphery anterior chamber was assessed based on van Herick' s criteria, and the width of chamber angle was graded based on Scheie' s method. The standardized training was performed. This survey approved by Xinjiang Medical Ethics Committee, all subjects signed the informed consent before the examination. Results 4191 of 4873 subjects finished all the examinations with the response rate 86%. All the subjects showed a good compliance. The prevalence of glaucoma was 3. 79% , and the prevalence of primary angle-closed glaucoma(PACG) .primary angle-open glaucoma (PAOG) and secondary glaucoma was 2.22% ,0.26% and 1. 31% respectively, showing a significant difference among the different types of glaucoma( P<0. 05). The prevalence of glaucoma was elevated with aging (χ2 - 116. 69 ,P<0. 05) and presented a high rate in male subjects compared with female ones(χ2 = 7. 34, P<0. 05 ). Bilateral blindness was found in 19.75% glaucoma peasants, in which 25.3% glaucoma peasants received anti-glaucoma surgery. The distribution of visual acuity of patients was of significant difference among different age groups(χ2 = 37. 69 ,P<0. 05 ) . Conclusions The prevalence of the glaucoma among Uigur peasants in Kuche county was higher than most area no matter inland or overseas. PACG still is the common type in those people.