Mutational screening of VSX1, SPARC, SOD1, LOX, and TIMP3 in keratoconus.

Purpose: To evaluate the involvement of Visual System Homeobox 1 (VSX1), Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC), Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1), Lysyl Oxidase (LOX), and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) in sporadic and familial keratoconus.

Methods: Mutational analysis of the five genes was performed by sequencing and fragment analysis in a large cohort of 302 Italian patients, with a diagnosis of keratoconus based on clinical examination and corneal topography. The variants identified in VSX1 and SPARC were also assessed in the available relatives of the probands.

Linkage analysis in keratoconus: replication of locus 5q21.2 and identification of other suggestive Loci.

Purpose: Keratoconus (KC) is the most common indication for corneal transplantation in the Western world, with etiologic mechanisms still poorly understood. The disease prevalence in the general population is approximately 1:2000, and familial aggregation, together with increased familial risk, suggests important genetic influences on its pathogenesis. To date, several loci for familial keratoconus have been described, without the identification of any responsible gene in the respective mapped intervals.

VSX1 mutational analysis in a series of Italian patients affected by keratoconus: detection of a novel mutation.

Purpose: Keratoconus is a noninflammatory corneal disorder that is clinically and genetically heterogeneous. Mutations in the VSX1 (visual system homeobox 1) gene have been identified for two distinct, inherited corneal dystrophies: posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy and keratoconus. To evaluate the possible role of the VSX1 gene in a series of Italian patients, 80 keratoconus-affected subjects were screened for mutations.