Levels of Antibodies against Human Heat Shock Protein (HSP) 60 in Patients with Glaucoma in Poland

BACKGROUND: Although elevated intraocular pressure is a major risk factor for the development of glaucoma, there is increasing evidence that the immune system may be involved in the development of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). The aim of this study was to determine if NTG is associated with elevated levels of antibodies against human heat shock protein (HSP) 60. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study was conducted in 139 subjects (35 subjects with NTG [Group 1], 34 subjects with primary open-angle glaucoma/POAG/[Group 2], 24 subjects with autoimmune rheumatic diseases [Group 3], and 36 healthy controls [Group 4]). All subjects had complete ophthalmologic examination (visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, tonometry, gonioscopy; visual-field examination, and optical coherence tomography/OCT/of the optic nerve head and the macula). Blood samples were collected for the measurements of serum levels of antibodies against human HSP60. RESULTS: The subjects with rheumatic diseases had the highest median serum level of antibodies against HSP60 – 20.49 ng/mL. The values in the subjects with NTG, POAG, and in controls were 18.79 ng/mL, 18.61 ng/mL and 17.61 ng/mL, respectively (p=0.96). CONCLUSIONS: This study does not confirm the hypothesis that normal-tension glaucoma is associated with elevated blood levels of antibodies against human heat shock protein (HSP) 60.