Patent ID: 8367887

Claim:
A method for evaluating a therapeutic effect of a test substance on normal-tension glaucoma, comprising: (a) administering a test substance to a mouse having in its genome a homozygous disruption of transcription factor NF-κBp50 gene, wherein the mouse has the following symptoms that correspond to symptoms of human normal-tension glaucoma and are developed in the mouse due to the disruption of transcription factor NF-κBp50 expression: (i) normal intraocular pressure; (ii) constriction and excavation of optic nerve head periphery; (iii) loss of a retinal nerve fiber layer; (iv) metamorphosis and backward deviation of the optic nerve at the lamina cribrosa; and (v) a decrease in retinal ganglion cells and glial cells; and (b) measuring at least one of said symptoms (ii)-(v) in said mouse administered said test substance; wherein an improvement of said at least one of said symptoms (ii)-(v) measured in step (b) indicates that the test substance has a therapeutic effect on normal tension glaucoma.