糖尿病视网膜病变表观遗传修饰的作用研究进展

Epigenetic modifications in diabetic retinopathy

DNA甲基化、组蛋白转录后修饰、非编码RNA调节等表观遗传修饰是环境刺激引起的可逆、可遗传改变。高糖血症、氧化应激、糖基化终产物等导致糖尿病及其并发症发生发展的主要刺激因素均能导致视网膜血管内皮细胞、视网膜色素上皮细胞内异常基因表观遗传修饰。异常基因表观遗传修饰在糖尿病视网膜病变（DR）黄斑水肿、新生血管形成等病理过程发挥重要作用；引起的代谢记忆现象导致即便血糖控制，DR等糖尿病并发症仍将进一步进展。表观遗传改变还能代代相传，在家族性糖尿病形成中发挥重要作用。深入探讨表观遗传修饰对DR发生发展的影响可为DR预防治疗提供新的思路。

Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications, non-coding RNA are reversible, heritable alterations which are induced by environmental stimuli. Major risk factors of diabetes and diabetic complications including hyperglycemia, oxidative stress and advanced glycation end products, can lead to abnormal epigenetic modifications in retinal vascular endothelial cells and retinal pigment epithelium cells. Epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of macular edema and neovascularization of diabetic retinopathy （DR）, as well as diabetic metabolic memory. The heritable nature of epigenetic marks also plays a key role in familial diabetes mellitus. Further elucidation of epigenetic mechanisms in DR can open the way for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets to prevent DR progression.