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Retinal tau pathology in human glaucomas
Gupta N, Fong J, Ang LC, Yücel YH.. Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie, 2008-02-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein critical to neuron structure and integrity. The abnormal hyperphosphorylated tau protein AT8 disrupts microtubules, interferes with axonal transport, and is associated with neuron injury in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the presence of tau protein and abnormal tau protein AT8 in human glaucomas and to determine whether abnormal tau protein plays a role in glaucomatous neural degeneration. Methods Sections from 11 surgical eye specimens with glaucoma from elevated intraocular pressure causes and 10 age-matched control eye specimens were immunostained for normal tau protein (BT2) and hyperphosphorylated tau protein (AT8). Postmortem specimens with incidental open-angle glaucoma (n = 6) were compared with controls (n = 3). Measurements of immunofluorescence intensity in glaucoma retinas were compared with those in control retinas. Abnormal tau AT8 and parvalbumin, a horizontal cell-specific marker, were studied with double-immunofluorescence techniques to determine colocalization. Results In surgical glaucoma specimens, normal tau protein was decreased in both the optic nerve and retina compared with age-matched controls. Abnormal tau AT8 was evident within the posterior retina, predominantly at the outer border of the inner nuclear layer in surgical glaucoma specimens, and this was not observed in controls or incidental glaucoma cases. Quantitative immunofluorescence techniques demonstrated significantly increased abnormal tau AT8 in surgical glaucoma specimens compared with controls. Abnormal tau AT8 colocalized with parvalbumin in horizontal cells of the retina. Interpretation Abnormal tau AT8, a marker of injury in various neurological diseases, is present in human glaucomas with uncontrolled intraocular pressure. The finding of abnormal tau protein in retinal horizontal cells may relate to elevated intraocular pressure and (or) neural degeneration in glaucoma. Tau protein abnormality in glaucoma underscores shared pathways with other neurodegenerative diseases.
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APA 7th
Gupta, N., Fong, J., Ang, L. C., & Yücel, Y. H. (2008). Retinal tau pathology in human glaucomas. Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie. https://doi.org/10.3129/i07-185
Vancouver
Gupta N, Fong J, Ang LC, Yücel YH. Retinal tau pathology in human glaucomas. Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie. 2008. doi:10.3129/i07-185. PMID: 18219347.
BibTeX
@article{gupta2008-18219347,
author = {Gupta, N. and Fong, J. and Ang, L. C. and Yücel, Y. H.},
title = {{Retinal tau pathology in human glaucomas}},
journal = {Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie},
year = {2008},
doi = {10.3129/i07-185},
pmid = {18219347},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3129/i07-185}
}
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Key findings
- The abnormal hyperphosphorylated tau protein AT8 disrupts microtubules, interferes with axonal transport, and is associated with neuron injury in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
- Postmortem specimens with incidental open-angle glaucoma (n = 6) were compared with controls (n = 3).
- Measurements of immunofluorescence intensity in glaucoma retinas were compared with those in control retinas.
- Results In surgical glaucoma specimens, normal tau protein was decreased in both the optic nerve and retina compared with age-matched controls.
- Quantitative immunofluorescence techniques demonstrated significantly increased abnormal tau AT8 in surgical glaucoma specimens compared with controls.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 36/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 36 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2008 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 18219347) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 21 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 36 out of 100. |
| Total | 36 / 100 | — |
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