Abstract
Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy and a major cause of visual impairment worldwide. Neuroprotective therapies for glaucoma aim to ameliorate retinal ganglion cell degeneration through direct or indirect action on these neurons. Neurotrophic factor (NTF) delivery is a key target for the development of potential neuroprotective glaucoma treatments. This article will critically summarize the evidence that NTF deprivation and/or dysfunction plays a role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Experimental support for the neuroprotective potential of NTF supplementation in animal models of glaucoma will be reviewed, in particular for brain-derived neurotrophic factor, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Finally, the challenges of clinical translation will be considered with an emphasis on the most promising NTF delivery strategies including slow-release drug delivery, gene therapy, and cell transplantation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 196-203 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Experimental eye research |
Volume | 93 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cell transplantation
- Gene therapy
- Glaucoma
- Neuroprotection
- Neurotrophic factor
- Neurotrophin
- Slow release
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
- Sensory Systems
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience