An international team of scientists has identified twenty-four new genes that may be associated with the inheritance of myopia.
An international team of scientists, led by King's College London, has identified 24 new genes whose mutation appears to be related to the onset of myopia, usually hereditary, and of the other refractive defects.
These results, published in the journal Nature Geneticsmay be helpful in identifying new possibilities for treatment and prevention of this condition in the future. Nearsightedness affects about 30% of the population in the Western world and up to 80% of Asian peoples. It is a condition with high heritabilitybut until now little was known about its genetic basis.
To identify the genes responsibleresearchers from Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States formed the Refraction and Myopia Consortium (CREAM). They analysed the genetic and refractive data of approximately 45,000 people, included in 32 different studies, and identified 24 new genes related to this condition and confirmed the two previously identified genes.
Interestingly, at the genetic level, there are no appreciable differences between the European and Asian groups, despite the higher prevalence in the Asian population. The newly identified genes include those governing the transmission of signals in the brain and the ocular tissueto the determination of eye structure and eye development. The genes identified resulted in a high risk of myopia, and carriers of the high-risk genetic mutations had a 10-fold increased risk.
It was already known that environmental factors such as reading, lack of outdoor activities and a higher level of education can increase the risk of myopia. This condition is more frequent among people living in urban areas.
It appears that an unfavourable conjunction of genetic predisposition and environmental factors is particularly risky for the development of myopia. However, how environmental factors influence the newly identified genes and cause myopia remains to be explored and will be the subject of further research by the CREAM Consortium.
For further information, please write to the King's College London press office by e-mail: pr@kcl.ac.uk.
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Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile