Molecular mechanisms regulating diabetic retinopathy
Vision loss from microvascular complication in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) results in diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Recent evidence suggests that neurodegeneration occurs in parallel with or prior to vascular cell injury in the retina of patients with DM and thus DR is considered as a neurovascular disease.
The researchers in this review discuss how molecular stress (i.e., glucose dysregulation, dysmetabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation) promote retinal vascular cell and neuronal injury in patients with DM.
The researchers also discuss how genes regulated by the HIF family of transcription factors in glial, vascular, neuronal, and inflammatory cells, control various pathways and identify new therapeutic avenues for the prevention or early treatment of patients with this vision-threating disease.
