SIRT1 as a potential target for age-related eye diseases: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

Age-related eye diseases (AREDs) are the leading cause of visual impairment in the elderly, affecting the structure of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye, significantly reducing the quality of life of patients, and even leading to irreversible blindness. Typical AREDs include age-related cataract (ARC), dry eye disease (DED), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy (DR), the global prevalence of which continues to rise, becoming a serious public health concern. SIRT1 is an NAD + dependent deacetylase, which plays an important physiological regulatory role in ocular tissues, mainly affecting gene expression and various cellular processes by regulating the acetylation status of substrate proteins. Studies have shown that SIRT1 plays a key role in oxidative stress, inflammation, autophagy, apoptosis and metabolism, and its expression or activity decreases can accelerate cell senescence and promote the occurrence and development of AREDs. In addition, SIRT1 expression levels and changes in its activity have been shown to be strongly associated with AREDs, making it a potential target for disease intervention and therapy. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes the biological role and regulatory mechanism of SIRT1 in AREDs, and explored its potential value as a therapeutic target, providing theoretical basis for future drug development and clinical transformation.