Aberrant expression of genes and proteins in pterygium and their implications in the pathogenesis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Pterygium is a prevalent ocular surface disease with complex and incompletely understood pathogenesis.
• Numerous genes and proteins are implicated in pterygium development, influencing key biological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize the aberrant expression of genes and proteins in pterygium.
• To elucidate their potential roles in pterygium pathogenesis and therapeutic interventions.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of Web of Science and PubMed databases.
• Keywords included pterygium, gene, protein, angiogenesis, fibrosis, proliferation, inflammation, pathogenesis, and therapy.
• Systematic review and synthesis of findings on molecular alterations in pterygium.

Main Results:

• Aberrant expression of growth factors, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), interleukins, tumor suppressor genes, proliferation and apoptosis-related proteins, cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix proteins, heat shock proteins, and tight junction proteins were identified.
• These molecular changes contribute to key pathological features such as angiogenesis, fibrosis, and inflammation.

Conclusions:

• The identified genes and proteins offer insights into pterygium pathogenesis.
• Targeting these molecular pathways presents potential therapeutic strategies for pterygium treatment.