Saghar Yousefnia - Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Mostafa Saadat - Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
Iraj Saadat - Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Purpose: Cells have complex network of antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from induced damages by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In considering that catalase and superoxide dismutase are as a primary protection against oxidative stress, also oxidative stress is as an important risk factor in age-related macular degeneration disease (AMD), we investigated the possible association between genetic polymorphisms of catalase (CAT) C-262T, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1)A251G and risk of exudative AMD. Methods: The study included 112 exudative AMD patients and 112 healthy controls. Genotyping of CAT C-262T and SOD1A251G were done by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.Differences in the frequencies were estimated using the χ2 test and risk was estimated with a logistic regression afteradjusting for smoking, working place and age status. Results: There was significant difference between CAT CT+TT genotype and AMD disease (P=0.009, OR=0.38, 95%CI=0.18-0.78). Also T allele has a significant association with risk of AMD and decreases risk of disease (P=0.036, OR=0.59, 95%CI=0.36-0.96), but there was no significant differences between SOD1A251G and variant homozygous and heterozygous frequencies in patients compared to controls (P=0.589, OR=0.77, 95%CI=0.3-1.96). Conclusions: According to a recent study, T allele in CAT genotypes increases catalase enzyme expression and activity, this increased level of CAT reduces the rate of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a result, current study suggests T allele in CAT genotypes decreases risk of AMD.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD); Catalase (CAT); Cu ، Zn Superoxide dismutase (SOD1);Polymorphism