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Published on: January 25, 2019
Experiment-Based Interventions to Diabetic Retinopathy: Present and Advances
Siwei Liu1,2, Yahan Ju1,2, Ping Gu1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
Abstract:
Diabetic retinopathy is the major blinding disease among working-age populations, which is becoming more significant due to the growth of diabetes. The metabolic-induced oxidative and inflammatory stress leads to the insult of neovascular unit, resulting in the core pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy. Existing therapies focus on the inflammation, oxidation, and angiogenesis phenomena of diabetic retinopathy, without effect to radically cure the disease. This review also summarizes novel therapeutic attempts for diabetic retinopathy along with their advantages and disadvantages, mainly focusing on those using cellular and genetic techniques to achieve remission on a fundamental level of disease.
Insights
Diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness, stems from oxidative and inflammatory stress. Novel cellular and genetic therapies offer potential for fundamental remission, addressing limitations of current treatments.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Endocrinology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy is a primary cause of vision loss in working-age adults, exacerbated by rising diabetes prevalence.
- The disease's pathophysiology involves metabolic-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and neovascularization.
- Current treatments target symptoms like inflammation and angiogenesis but do not offer a radical cure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing therapeutic strategies for diabetic retinopathy.
- To summarize novel cellular and genetic approaches for treating diabetic retinopathy.
- To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of emerging therapies for fundamental disease remission.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current and novel therapeutic strategies for diabetic retinopathy.
- Analysis of studies focusing on cellular and genetic techniques.
- Comparative assessment of treatment efficacy and limitations.
Main Results:
- Existing therapies manage inflammation, oxidation, and angiogenesis but lack curative effects.
- Novel cellular and genetic therapies are being explored for fundamental treatment.
- These advanced approaches aim to achieve disease remission at a core level.
Conclusions:
- Diabetic retinopathy remains a significant public health challenge requiring innovative solutions.
- Cellular and genetic therapies represent promising avenues for radical treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
- Further research is needed to fully establish the efficacy and safety of these novel approaches.
