UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK.
Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020 May 15;21(10):3496. doi: 10.3390/ijms21103496.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most frequent microvascular complication of long-term diabetes and the most common cause of blindness, increasing morbidity in the working-age population. The most effective therapies for these complications include laser photocoagulation and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) intravitreal injections. However, laser and anti-VEGF drugs are untenable as a final solution as they fail to address the underlying neurovascular degeneration and ischemia. Regenerative medicine may be a more promising approach, aimed at the repair of blood vessels and reversal of retinal ischemia. Stem cell therapy has introduced a novel way to reverse the underlying ischemia present in microvascular complications in diseases such as diabetes. The present review discusses current treatments, their side effects, and novel cell-based and tissue engineering approaches as a potential alternative therapeutic approach.
糖尿病性视网膜病变（DR）是长期糖尿病最常见的微血管并发症，也是失明的最常见原因，增加了工作年龄人群的发病率。这些并发症的最有效治疗方法包括激光光凝和抗血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）眼内注射。然而，激光和抗 VEGF 药物并不可行，因为它们无法解决潜在的神经血管退化和缺血问题。再生医学可能是一种更有前途的方法，旨在修复血管并逆转视网膜缺血。干细胞疗法为治疗糖尿病等疾病中的微血管并发症所存在的潜在缺血提供了一种新的途径。本综述讨论了当前的治疗方法、它们的副作用，以及基于细胞和组织工程的新方法，作为一种潜在的治疗替代方法。
