褪黑素治疗糖尿病视网膜病变的研究进展

Progress of melatonin in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy

糖尿病视网膜病变(DR)是糖尿病在眼部的并发症之一,是工作人群视力下降的主要原因。DR的发病机制复杂,炎症、氧化应激、内质网应激和自噬等诸多因素均参与了DR的病理生理过程,目前尚缺乏有效的治疗措施。褪黑素是人脑松果体的合成产物,可释放到脑脊液和血液中;褪黑素及其代谢物具有多种生理功能,对炎症和氧化应激均具有拮抗作用。在不同的病理生理条件下,褪黑素还具有调节自噬和凋亡的功能。本文就褪黑素在DR及其并发症中的应用及潜在治疗进行阐述,以期为治疗DR提供新的思路和治疗靶点。

Diabetic retinopathy(DR),one of the complications of diabetes mellitus in the eye,remains as the major cause of blindness in working-age population.The pathogenesis of DR is complex,and the inflammation,oxidative stress,endoplasmic reticulum stress,and autophagy,etc.,are all involved in the pathophysiological process of DR,which lacks of effective treatments.Melatonin is a synthetic product of the pineal gland,released into both the cerebrospinal fluid and the blood.This indole and its metabolites have many physiological functions and play protective roles against inflammation and oxidative stress.In addition,melatonin can regulate autophagy and apoptosis under different pathophysiological conditions.In this study,the application and possible effects of melatonin in DR and its complications are discussed in order to provide new insights in treatment of DR and new therapeutic targets.