半乳糖凝集素-8在角膜新生血管形成中的作用

The role of galectin-8 in corneal neovascularization

角膜是维持正常视力的重要屈光间质,正常情况下无血管,无淋巴管。在病理情况下,新生毛细血管会从角膜缘血管网长出,随后渐渐侵入角膜形成角膜新生血管。角膜新生血管严重影响视力,是致盲的主要原因之一。它的形成主要与炎症、感染、外伤和角膜移植手术等因素相关。半乳糖凝集素属于凝集素超家族,参与炎症反应、免疫反应、细胞迁移、细胞黏附和血管生成等。近年来半乳糖凝集素对肿瘤新生血管形成的作用被重点研究,其中半乳糖凝集素-8(Gal-8)被报道与新生血管的发生和发展有着密切联系。最新研究表明,其可能参与角膜新生血管的形成。进一步了解Gal-8在角膜新生血管中的作用机制,有望为治疗角膜新生血管提供全新的靶点与方向。

Cornea is an important refractive interstitium for maintaining normal vision.There are no blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in cornea.But new capillaries will grow from the vascular network at the corneal limbus in pathological conditions,and then gradually invade the cornea to form corneal neovascularization.It affects vision and is one of the main causes of blindness.Corneal neovascularization is mainly associated with high risk factors such as inflammation,infection,trauma and corneal transplantation.Galectins belong to the lectin superfamily and are involved in inflammatory response,immune response,cell migration,cell adhesion and angiogenesis.In recent years,the effect of galectins on tumor neovascularization has been mainly studied,among which galectin-8 has been reported to be closely related to the occurrence and development of neovascularization.Recent studies have shown that galectin-8 may be involved in the formation of corneal neovascularization.Further understanding of the mechanism of galectin-8 in corneal neovascularization is expected to provide a novel target and direction for the treatment of corneal neovascularization.