Potential role of endoplasmic reticulum quality control in retinal degenerative diseases

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest organelle in eukaryotic cells, and it plays a crucial role in regulating various biological processes, including protein folding, translation, and structural maturation. Accurate protein modification is essential for maintaining oxidative stress, apoptosis, and cellular senescence in the organism. The regulation of protein homeostasis involves three biological processes: endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), endoplasmic reticulum autophagy (ERPA), and endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD). Retinal degenerative disease (RDD) is a blinding eye conditions that cause severe vision loss. Although the pathogenesis of RDD is complex, previous data suggest that ER plays a key role in the development of a variety of eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and axial myopia. Based on this, this paper will review the process of endoplasmic reticulum quality control (ERQC) and summarize the pathological mechanisms of the aforementioned eye diseases from the perspective of ERQC, providing new insights for the treatment of RDD.