Research progress on the roles of transforming growth factor-β in proliferative retinal diseases

Abstract

Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)is a multifunctional biologic factor involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, immune function and inflammatory response of the body. TGF-β signaling pathway-mediated myofibroblast transformation and overaccumulation of extracellular matrix(ECM)leads to retinal tissue contraction and impaired function. Various cytokine signals are involved in the fibrotic response in retinal tissue, but TGF-β is the most critical factor affecting the pathogenesis of retinal fibrotic disease. In terms of the eye, pathological fibrotic diseases such as corneal opacities, submacular fibrosis and proliferative retinal diseases cause visual impairment and blindness in millions of people worldwide, and this remains one of the major areas of unmet clinical need in ophthalmology. Therefore, this article focuses on the research progress related to the pathogenesis and therapeutic prospects of TGF-β in proliferative retinal diseases, with a view to provide more molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of proliferative retinal diseases and offer new ideas for the research of new drugs.

Keywords

• transforming growth factor-β(tgf-β)
• fibrosis
• proliferative vitreoretinopathy
• proliferative diabetic retinopathy
• neovascular age-related macular degeneration