The Impact of Oxidative Stress on Blood-Retinal Barrier Physiology in Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Open Access
- 4 January 2021
- Vol. 10 (1), 64
- https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10010064
Abstract
The blood retinal barrier (BRB) is a fundamental eye component, whose function is to select the flow of molecules from the blood to the retina and vice-versa, and its integrity allows the maintenance of a finely regulated microenvironment. The outer BRB, composed by the choriocapillaris, the Bruch’s membrane, and the retinal pigment epithelium, undergoes structural and functional changes in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness worldwide. BRB alterations lead to retinal dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Several risk factors have been associated with AMD onset in the past decades and oxidative stress is widely recognized as a key factor, even if the exact AMD pathophysiology has not been exactly elucidated yet. The present review describes the BRB physiology, the BRB changes occurring in AMD, the role of oxidative stress in AMD with a focus on the outer BRB structures. Moreover, we propose the use of cerium oxide nanoparticles as a new powerful anti-oxidant agent to combat AMD, based on the relevant existing data which demonstrated their beneficial effects in protecting the outer BRB in animal models of AMD.Keywords
This publication has 174 references indexed in Scilit:
- Complement factor H genotypes impact risk of age-related macular degeneration by interaction with oxidized phospholipidsProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2012
- The expression and function of vascular endothelial growth factor in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is regulated by 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and glutathione S-transferaseA4-4Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2012
- Autophagy in the Retina: A Potential Role in Age-Related Macular DegenerationAdvances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2011
- Signal transduction by reactive oxygen speciesThe Journal of cell biology, 2011
- Retinal light damage: Mechanisms and protectionProgress in Retinal and Eye Research, 2010
- The pivotal role of the complement system in aging and age-related macular degeneration: Hypothesis re-visitedProgress in Retinal and Eye Research, 2010
- Molecular pathology of age-related macular degenerationProgress in Retinal and Eye Research, 2009
- Mechanisms of leukocyte migration across the blood–retina barrierSeminars in Immunopathology, 2008
- Reactive oxygen species are essential for autophagy and specifically regulate the activity of Atg4The EMBO Journal, 2007
- An experimental study of the elastic properties of the human Bruch's membrane-choroid complex: relevance to ageingBritish Journal of Ophthalmology, 2006