Thioredoxin-interacting protein in diabetic retinal neurodegeneration: A novel potential therapeutic target for diabetic retinopathy
- PMID: 36017183
- PMCID: PMC9396221
- DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.957667
Thioredoxin-interacting protein in diabetic retinal neurodegeneration: A novel potential therapeutic target for diabetic retinopathy
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus and has been considered a microvascular disease for a long time. However, recent evidence suggests that diabetic retinal neurodegeneration (DRN), which manifests as neuronal apoptosis, a decrease in optic nerve axons, and reactive gliosis, occurs prior to retinal microvascular alterations. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an endogenous inhibitor of thioredoxin (Trx), and it acts by inhibiting its reducing capacity, thereby promoting cellular oxidative stress. In addition, it participates in regulating multiple signaling pathways as a member of the α-arrestin family of proteins. Accumulating evidence suggests that TXNIP is upregulated in diabetes and plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiological process of DR. In this review, we summarized the role of TXNIP in DRN, aiming to provide evidence for DR treatment in the future.
Keywords: TXNIP (thioredoxin-interacting protein); TXNIP modulators; diabetic retinal neurodegeneration; diabetic retinopathy; thioredoxin.
Copyright © 2022 Liu, Dong, Lv, Kong and Ren.
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.
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