Contribution at the Study of Neuroprotective Properties of Neuroglobin during Severe Chronic Glaucoma

Introduction: The mechanisms of overexpression of neuroglobin in patients with severe glaucoma (CG+) remain hypothetical. Objective: To study the anti-apoptotic, anti-hypoxic and anti-oxidant properties of neuroglobin in CG+. Population and Methods: The visual field, as well as plasma dosage of neuroglobin (CmNgb, ng/ml), hypoxia inductible factor-1alpha (CmHIF-1α, pg/ml), glutathione peroxidase (CmGpx, pg/ml), and cytochrome C oxidase (CmCyt C, pg/ml) were carried out in 45 CG+ and 45 controls (CG-). The chi-2 test compared the proportions, and Spearman’s test studied the correlations between quantitative variables (p Results: CmNgb was 4.1 in CG+, versus 2.3 in CG- (p = 1.52 × 10-5). CmGpx was 1144.7 in CG+, versus 752.8 in GC- (p = 0.0199). CmHIF-1α was 4.1 in CG+, versus 3.5 in CG- (p = 0.4530). CmCyt C was 2303.26 in CG+, versus 1750.44 in CG- (p = 0.0450). In CG+, there was a correlation between CmNgb and CmGpx (r = 0.417; p = 0.004), CmNgb and CmHIF-1α (r = 0.644; p = 1.8 × 10-6), and between CmHIF-1α and CmGpx (r = 0.447; p = 0.002), CmHIF-1α and CmCyt C (r = 0.371; p = 0.012). None correlation was found between CmNgb and CmCyt C (r = 0.126; p = 0.370), as well as CmGpx and CmCyt C (r = 0.102; p = 0.505). Conclusion: The variations of apoptosis, hypoxic, and oxidative stress biomarkers were found between CG+ and CG-, as well as their correlations, suggesting that neuroglobin overexpression is related to its anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative, and anti-hypoxic properties.