The role and therapeutic potential of melatonin in age-related ocular diseases.
Almudena CrookeFernando Huete-ToralBasilio ColligrisJesus PintorPublished in: Journal of pineal research (2017)
The eye is continuously exposed to solar UV radiation and pollutants, making it prone to oxidative attacks. In fact, oxidative damage is a major cause of age-related ocular diseases including cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. As the nature of lens cells, trabecular meshwork cells, retinal ganglion cells, retinal pigment epithelial cells, and photoreceptors is postmitotic, autophagy plays a critical role in their cellular homeostasis. In age-related ocular diseases, this process is impaired, and thus, oxidative damage becomes irreversible. Other conditions such as low-grade chronic inflammation and angiogenesis also contribute to the development of retinal diseases (glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy). As melatonin is known to have remarkable qualities such as antioxidant/antinitridergic, mitochondrial protector, autophagy modulator, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic, it can represent a powerful tool to counteract all these diseases. The present review analyzes the role and therapeutic potential of melatonin in age-related ocular diseases, focusing on nitro-oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, and angiogenesis mechanisms.
Keyphrases
- oxidative stress
- diabetic retinopathy
- induced apoptosis
- age related macular degeneration
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- optic nerve
- low grade
- cell cycle arrest
- optical coherence tomography
- cell death
- signaling pathway
- anti inflammatory
- dna damage
- ischemia reperfusion injury
- diabetic rats
- radiation therapy
- radiation induced
- vascular endothelial growth factor
- cataract surgery
- cell proliferation