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Review
. 2021 Jun 21:12:695267.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.695267. eCollection 2021.

Autophagy: A Novel Pharmacological Target in Diabetic Retinopathy

Annagrazia Adornetto  1 , Carlo Gesualdo  2 , Maria Luisa Laganà  1 , Maria Consiglia Trotta  3 , Settimio Rossi  2 , Rossella Russo  1
Affiliations
Review

Autophagy: A Novel Pharmacological Target in Diabetic Retinopathy

Annagrazia Adornetto et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Autophagy is the major catabolic pathway involved in removing and recycling damaged macromolecules and organelles and several evidences suggest that dysfunctions of this pathway contribute to the onset and progression of central and peripheral neurodegenerative diseases. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus representing the main preventable cause of acquired blindness worldwide. DR has traditionally been considered as a microvascular disease, however this concept has evolved and neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation have emerged as important determinants in the pathogenesis and evolution of the retinal pathology. Here we review the role of autophagy in experimental models of DR and explore the potential of this pathway as a target for alternative therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: LC3; autophagosomes; autophagy; diabetic retinopathy; hyperglycemia; retinal degeneration.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Overview of the pathogenic mechanisms leading to diabetic retinopathy.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The dual role of autophagy in diabetic retinopathy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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