Retinopathy of prematurity: Moving beyond oxygen

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neonatology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of vision loss in preterm infants.
• Exogenous oxygen is a primary risk factor, influencing angiogenic growth factors in ROP pathogenesis.
• Current animal models predominantly use oxygen-induced retinopathy, limiting understanding of other contributing factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the sole focus on oxygen as the cause of ROP.
• To advocate for the development and utilization of alternative animal models for ROP research.
• To explore the role of infection and inflammation in the etiology of ROP.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on ROP pathogenesis and animal models.
• Analysis of experimental and clinical data supporting alternative etiological paradigms.
• Argument for the necessity of non-oxygen-induced retinopathy models.

Main Results:

• Oxygen exposure significantly impacts angiogenic factors in ROP.
• Limited data exists for non-oxygen-induced retinopathy models.
• Emerging evidence suggests infection and inflammation as critical factors in ROP development.

Conclusions:

• The current reliance on oxygen-induced retinopathy models is insufficient to fully understand ROP.
• There is a critical need for research employing infection and inflammation-associated exposures in ROP models.
• Adopting broader etiological paradigms will enhance our understanding and treatment of ROP.