REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Inflammation
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1571576
This article is part of the Research TopicPrevention and Treatment Advancements in Diabetic RetinopathyView all 7 articles
Targeting Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Retinopathy: Mechanisms, Pathology, and Novel Treatment Approaches
Provisionally accepted- 1Department of Ophthalmology, Sichuan Taikang Hospital, Chengdu, China
- 2Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Western Theater General Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
- 3Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common and severe microvascular complication of diabetes, leading to vision impairment and blindness, particularly in working-age adults.Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of DR, with excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) damaging retinal tissues, including blood vessels and neurons. This oxidative damage is exacerbated through various metabolic pathways, such as the polyol pathway, protein kinase C(PKC) activation, and advanced glycation endproduct(AGE) formation. Additionally, mitochondrial dysfunction, retinal cell apoptosis, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation are key pathological processes associated with oxidative stress in DR. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone alterations, further contribute to gene expression changes induced by oxidative stress. To mitigate oxidative damage, therapeutic strategies targeting ROS production, neutralizing free radicals, and enhancing antioxidant defenses hold promise. Various natural antioxidant compounds, such as polyphenols (e.g., epigallocatechin-3-gallate, quercetin, resveratrol) and carotenoids (e.g., lutein, zeaxanthin), have demonstrated potential in reducing oxidative stress and improving 2 retinal health in DR models. Moreover, activation of the Nrf2 and SIRT1 pathways has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the antioxidant response. Although preclinical studies show promising results, further clinical trials are necessary to validate the efficacy and safety of these therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying oxidative stress in DR and the development of multi-target therapies could provide more effective treatment options for DR patients.
Keywords: Diabetic Retinopathy, Oxidative Stress, Reactive Oxygen Species, Mitochondrial dysfunction, therapeutic strategies
Received: 05 Feb 2025; Accepted: 01 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 He, Tang and Lv. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hongbin Lv, Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, China
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