Corneal ectasias, among which keratoconus (KC) is the single most common entity, are one of the most frequent reasons for corneal grafting in developed countries and a threatening complication of laser in situ keratomileusis. Genome-wide association studies have previously found lysyl oxidase (LOX) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) associated with susceptibility to KC development. The aim of our study was to validate the effects of seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within LOX and HGF over KC. Unrelated Czech cases with KC of European descent (108 males and 57 females, 165 cases in total) and 193 population and gender-matched controls were genotyped using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR assays. Fisher's exact tests were used to assess the strength of associations. Evidence for association was found for both of the tested loci. It was strongest for rs3735520:G>A near HGF (allelic test odds ratio (OR)=1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-1.98; P=0.018) with A allele being a risk factor and rs2956540:G>C (OR=0.69; 95% CI, 0.50-0.96; P=0.024) within LOX with C allele having a protective effect. This first independent association validation of rs2956540:G>C and rs3735520:G>A suggests that these SNPs may serve as genetic risk markers for KC in individuals of European descent.

Department of Biology and Medical Genetics 2nd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and University Hospital Motol Prague Czech Republic

Department of Ophthalmology 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czech Republic

Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology King's College London St Thomas' Hospital London UK

Laboratory of the Biology and Pathology of the Eye Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czech Republic

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Replication of SNP associations with keratoconus in a Czech cohort