Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role of CYP1B1 mutations in primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in Pakistani patients.
Methods: After consent was received, 20 families with at least more than one member affected with primary congenital glaucoma were enrolled in the study. The disease was confirmed with standard ophthalmological investigations. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood for localization of linkage and sequencing. Bioinformatics tools were used to assess the predicted pathological role of novel variants.
Results: Ten out of 20 families (50%, 10/20) showed homozygosity with CYP1B1-linked short tandem repeat (STR) markers. On direct sequencing of the CYP1B1 gene in the linked families, six mutations, including two novel pathogenic variants, were identified. p. R390H was the most frequently found mutation in five families (50%, 5/10), whereas c.868_869insC, p.E229K, and p.A115P were found once in three families. Two novel mutations, a missense mutation (p.G36D) and an in-frame deletion mutation (p.G67-A70del), were segregated with disease phenotype in two families. Age of disease onset was congenital in all mutations; however, disease severity and response to clinical interventions varied among the mutations and families. Haplotype analysis using five polymorphisms revealed a distinct haplotype for a common mutation.
Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of Pakistani patients with PCG to be genetically screened for CYP1B1 mutations. Identifying common mutation and genotype-phenotype correlations may help in genetic testing and better prognosis for the disease. Novel mutations identified in the study may help in better understanding the pathophysiology of CYP1B1-associated glaucoma.