Huang Lihong, Zhang Dazheng, Zhou Jing
Dujiangyan Medical Centre, Chengdu, China.
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Aug 26;12:1638184. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1638184. eCollection 2025.
Myopia is a global visual impairment, and its pathological mechanism involves the complex multifactorial interplay of neurotransmitters, hormones and intracellular signaling pathways. Dopamine inhibits axial growth by activating D2 receptor-CAMP pathway, while GABA energy signals maintain refractive stability by regulating retinal excitation-inhibition balance. Sex hormones and vitamin D play a dual role by regulating scleral ECM metabolism, the former enhances corneal strength and may promote axial elongation during puberty, while the latter exhibits dose-dependent biphasic effects on collagen synthesis via VDR signaling. In the core signaling pathway, the hypoxia-HIF-1α-MMP-2 axis drives sclera ECM degradation, while TGF-β and Wnt/β-catenin pathways synergically regulate fibroblast proliferation and migration. In response to these mechanisms, multi-target intervention strategies show potential: low-dose atropine combined with outdoor light can synergically inhibit axial growth. However, while emerging technologies like gene editing (e.g., CRISPR targeting HIF-1α) and targeted MMP-2 inhibitors are entering preclinical validation, their clinical translation faces substantial hurdles. For CRISPR-based approaches, critical challenges include mitigating off-target editing risks and developing safe, efficient delivery systems to the relevant ocular tissues. Future studies need to integrate molecular mechanisms and interdisciplinary approaches to rigorously evaluate efficacy, safety, and feasibility in order to develop precise prevention and control programs to cope with the epidemic trend of myopia.
近视是一种全球性视力障碍,其病理机制涉及神经递质、激素和细胞内信号通路之间复杂的多因素相互作用。多巴胺通过激活D2受体 - 环磷酸腺苷(CAMP)途径抑制眼轴生长,而γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)能量信号通过调节视网膜兴奋 - 抑制平衡来维持屈光稳定性。性激素和维生素D通过调节巩膜细胞外基质(ECM)代谢发挥双重作用,前者增强角膜强度,在青春期可能促进眼轴伸长,而后者通过维生素D受体(VDR)信号对胶原蛋白合成呈现剂量依赖性双相效应。在核心信号通路中,缺氧 - 缺氧诱导因子 - 1α(HIF - 1α) - 基质金属蛋白酶 - 2(MMP - 2)轴驱动巩膜ECM降解,而转化生长因子 - β(TGF - β)和Wnt/β-连环蛋白途径协同调节成纤维细胞增殖和迁移。针对这些机制,多靶点干预策略显示出潜力:低剂量阿托品与户外光照联合使用可协同抑制眼轴生长。然而,虽然基因编辑(如靶向HIF - 1α的CRISPR)和靶向MMP - 2抑制剂等新兴技术正在进入临床前验证阶段,但其临床转化面临重大障碍。对于基于CRISPR的方法,关键挑战包括减轻脱靶编辑风险以及开发安全、有效的相关眼组织递送系统。未来的研究需要整合分子机制和跨学科方法,严格评估疗效、安全性和可行性,以制定精确的防控方案来应对近视的流行趋势。