Research progress of melatonin in regulating angiogenesis in fundus diseases

Abstract

Angiogenesis is a key step involving physiological and pathological processes, and pro/antiangiogenic factors are involved in angiogenesis throughout. Melatonin is a product synthesized by the pineal gland of the human brain and acts in various systems of the body. This article briefly describes the wide range of biological roles and physiological functions of melatonin, and summarizes that melatonin regulates pro-/anti-angiogenic factors(e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor/matrix metalloproteinase)under different conditions and is involved in angiogenesis in fundus diseases(e.g., age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and central serous choroioretinopathy); in addition, it also summarizes that melatonin regulates various cytokines, inflammatory factors and signaling pathways to produce anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and immune responses in fundus diseases, and thus obtaining the application and potential treatment of melatonin in fundus vascular diseases, with a view to providing new ideas and therapeutic targets for the treatment of fundus diseases.

Keywords

• age-related macular degeneration
• diabetic retinopathy
• central serous chorioretinopathy
• melatonin
• angiogenesis