Mary K. Wirtz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Ophthalmology, Molecular and Medical Genetics

phone: 503-494-4698
fax: 503-494-6875

Education

• B.S., Portland State University, 1976, Biology
• Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University, 1983, Medical Genetics

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Molecular & Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, 1997-present
• Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, OHSU, 1989-1997
• Assistant Professor of Molecular & Medical Genetics, OHSU, 1991-1997

Research Interest(s)/Description
The major research interest in my lab is identifying genes involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. We are using two approaches towards this goal. The first is a genetics approach analyzing families in which three or more members have glaucoma. The second is characterizing the expression of genes in the trabecular meshwork, a tissue which may be the primary site of the defect in glaucoma. My lab has mapped two major glaucoma genes (GLC1C and GLC1F). The Human Genome Project, which is just now completing the sequencing of the human genome, has become an integral reference in our work to identify these genes. Using bioinformatics and the sequences provided by the Human Genome Project, a physical map of the GLC1C and GLC1F regions is being made. Mutational analysis of genes identified in these two regions has become a major focus of the lab.

The second approach for identifying genes intimately connected to glaucoma is to characterize the genes in the trabecular meshwork. A human trabecular meshwork cDNA library has been constructed and individual clones are being sequenced. These sequences will give us an overall picture of how the trabecular meshwork functions. New genes identified by this process will be of special interest and will be carefully characterized. With the information from the trabecular meshwork cDNA library, DNA microarrays will be built to begin to ask fundamental questions about glaucoma.

Selected publications

• Kitsos G, Eiberg H, Economou-Petersen E, Wirtz MK, Kramer PL, Aspiotis M, Tommerup N, Peterson MB, Psilas K. Genetic linkage of autosomal dominant primary open angle glaucoma to chromosome 3q in a Greek pedigree. European Journal of Human Genetics. 2001;9(6):452-457.
  
  
• Xu H, Acott TS, Wirtz MK: Identification and Expression of a Novel Type I Procollagen C-Proteinase Enhancer Protein Gene from the Glaucoma Candidate Region on 3q21-24. Genomics, 66:264-273, 2000.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Samples JR, Rust K, Lie, J, Nordling L, Schilling K, Acott TS, Kramer PL: GLC1F, a new primary open-angle glaucoma locus, maps to 7q35-q36. Arch Ophthalmol, 117:237-241, 1999.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Acott TS, Samples JR, Morrison JC: Prospects for genetic intervention in primary open-angle glaucoma. Drugs & Aging, 13:333-340, 1998.
  
  
• Klein ML, Schultz DW, Edwards A, Matise TC, Rust K, Berselli CB, Trzupek K, Weleber RG, Ott J, Wirtz MK, Acott TS: Age-related macular degeneration. Clinical features in a large family and linkage to chromosome 1q. Arch Ophthalmol 116:1082-1088, 1998.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Xu H, Rust K, Alexander JP, Acott TS: IGFBP5 differential expression in the trabecular meshwork. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 39:45-53, 1998.
  
  
• Edwards A, Klein ML, Berselli B, Hejtmancik JF, Rust K, Wirtz MK, Weleber RG, Acott TS: Malattia leventinese: refinement of the genetic locus and phenotypic variability in autosomal dominant macular drusen. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 126:417-424, 1998
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Bradley JMB, Demories J, Nobis CA, Truesdale AT, Samples JR, Van Buskirk EM, Acott TS: Characterization and identification of human trabecular meshwork proteoglycans. Curr. Eye 16:412-421, 1997.
  
  
• Vranka JA, Johnson E, Zhu X, Shepardson A, Alexander JP, Bradley JMB, Wirtz MK, Weleber R, Klein M, Acott TS: Discrete expression and distribution pattern of TIMP3 in the human retina and choroid. Curr. Eye. 16:102-110, 1997.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Samples JR, Kramer PL, Rust K, Topinka JR, Yount J, Koler RD, Acott TS: Mapping a gene for adult-onset primary open-angle glaucoma to chromosome 3q. Amer. J. Hum. Genet. 60:296-304, 1997.
  
  
• Acott TS, Wirtz MK: Biochemistry of Aqueous Outflow in The Glaucomas ed Ritch R, Shields MB, Krupin T, 2nd ed, Mosby, St. Louis, pp281-306, 1996.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Kramer PL, Rust K, Yount J, Acott TS, Koler RD, Samples JR, Godfrey M, Gorlin RJ, Jahed A: Weill-Marchesani syndrome - linkage of the autosomal dominant form to chromosome 15q21.1. Am J Med Genet 65:68-75, 1996.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Rao VH, Glanville RW, Labhard ME, Pretorius PJ, de Vries WN, de Wet WJ, Hollister DW: A cysteine for glycine substitution at position 175 in a a1 (I) chain of type I collagen produces a clinically heterogeneous form of osteogenesis imperfect. Connective Tissue Res 29:1-11, 1993.
  
  
• Hori HI, Keene DR, Sakai LY, Wirtz MK, Bachinger HP, Godfrey M, Hollister DW: Repeated helical epitopes of defined amino acid sequence in human type III collagen identified by monoclonal antibodies. Mol. Immunol. 29:759-770, 1992.
  
  
• D'Alessio M, Ramirez F, Blumberg BD, Wirtz MK, Hollister DW: Characterization of a COL1A1 splicing defect in a case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Type VII: further evidence of molecular homogeneity. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 49:400-406, 1991.
  
  
• Wirtz MK, Keene DR, Rao VH, Glanville RW, Steinmann B, Hollister DW: In-vivo and in-vitro non-covalent association of excised a1(I) amino-terminal propeptides with mutant pN a2(I) collagen chains in native mutant collagen in a case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Type VII. J. Biol. Chem., 265:6312-6317, 1990.