[The future started: nitric oxide in glaucoma]

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important messenger intra and extra molecular implicated in vasodilatation, contractility, neurotransmission, neurotoxicity and inflammation. NO is formed from L-arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Nitric oxide synthase has three isoforms: NOS- 1 neuronal, NOS-2 inducible and NOS-3 endothelial (role in vasodilatation). Nitric oxide has a demonstrate role in many neurodegenerative diseases like: glaucoma, Alzheimer disease, multiple sclerosis and cerebral-cardio-vascular diseases.

To investigate the activity of the NOS by immunohistochemistry in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Observational, prospective, clinical study, during 9 months on one group of 9 patients with POAG that have underwent filtering surgery - trabeculectomy. The fragments of trabecular meshwork harvested during surgery were studied by immunohistochemistry for NOS. The exclusion criteria at the beginning of the study were any ocular or general pathology associated.

After laboratory analyses in patients with primary open angle glaucoma we observed the presence of the activity of NOS in trabecular meshwork. The trabecular distribution of NOS suggests an important role of nitric oxide in the future therapies for the glaucoma. The increase of nitric oxide makes vasodilatation and improves contractility in the trabecular meshwork; the final effect being the decrease of intraocular pressure and on the other hand the contra-apoptotic effect giving neuroprotection.