Erythropoietin therapy for early diabetic retinopathy through its protective effects on retinal pericytes.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of acquired blindness among the people at working age. Although remarkable advances have been made in the treatment of the proliferative form of DR, there is still no effective treatment for the most prevalent early form of DR. The exact etiology and molecular pathogenesis of the early DR are not fully understood, but the selective loss of pericytes is believed to play a major role in the pathological process of DR. Herein we propose a novel approach to the treatment of early form of DR, using erythropoietin (EPO). We hypothesize that EPO reduces the loss of retinal pericytes, and therefore can be used as a novel therapeutic agent for early form of DR, which is based on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. If successful, future studies based on this hypothesis may also help shield the lights on the molecular mechanisms of early DR.
Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China.
Zhao-Yang
ZY
Wang
Ke-Ke
KK
Zhao
Pei-Quan
PQ
Zhao
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D020286:Pericytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004921:Erythropoietin