TREATMENT OF OCULAR DISEASE WITH INHIBITORS OF ALPHA2 MACROGLOBULIN PROTEIN

The present invention relates to methods to treat glaucoma and glaucoma-related conditions through the regulation of changes in gene expression that are mediated by high intraocular pressure or α2 macroglobulin administration. Glaucoma, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and chronic ocular hypertension are treated using pharmaceutical compositions which comprise substances that inhibit the expression or activity of intraocular pressure-regulated early genes (IPREGs) or their gene products that are up-regulated by high intraocular pressure or α2 macroglobulin administration and/or which increase the expression or activity of IPREGs or their gene products that are down-regulated by high intraocular pressure or α2 macroglobulin administration. The invention also relates to methods of identifying an IPREG and methods to test for chronic ocular degeneration and the onset of RGC stress in an individual by measuring the expression level of IPREG proteins.