Serine to proline mutation at position 341 of MYOC impairs trabecular meshwork function by causing autophagy deregulation

Glaucoma is a highly heritable disease, and myocilin was the first identified causal and most common pathogenic gene in glaucoma. Serine-to-proline mutation at position 341 of myocilin (MYOC S341P ) is associated with severe glaucoma phenotypes in a five-generation primary open-angle glaucoma family. However, the underlying mechanisms are underexplored. Herein, we established the MYOC S341P transgenic mouse model and characterized the glaucoma phenotypes. Further, we systematically explored the functional differences between wild-type and MYOC S341P through immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and RNA-seq analyses. We found that MYOC S341P transgenic mice exhibit glaucoma phenotypes, characterized by reduced aqueous humor outflow, elevated intraocular pressure, decreased trabecular meshwork (TM) cell number, narrowed Schlemm’s canal, retinal ganglion cell loss, and visual impairment. Mechanistically, the secretion of dysfunctional MYOC S341P accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), inducing ER stress and dysregulation of autophagy, thereby promoting TM cell death. We describe an effective transgenic model for mechanistic studies and the screening of therapeutic targets. Our data generated from high-throughput analyses help elucidate the mechanism underlying mutant MYOC-related glaucoma.