Luthert P J, Chong N H
Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK.
Eye (Lond). 1998;12 ( Pt 3b):591-6. doi: 10.1038/eye.1998.149.
Photoreceptor cell death is the final, irreversible event in many blinding diseases including retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular disease and retinal detachment. This paper examines the potential strategies for preventing photoreceptor cell death in the context of current understanding of the mechanisms of cell death. There is evidence to suggest that photoreceptor cells are inherently vulnerable, apoptosis is the final common pathway of photoreceptor cell loss, and other retinal cells play an important role in the survival of rods and cones. Furthermore, the rationale of using neurotrophic factors as therapeutic agents in retinal degeneration is discussed in detail. Photoreceptor rescue by manipulation of genes involved in apoptosis and some pharmacological agents is also described.
在许多致盲性疾病中，包括色素性视网膜炎、年龄相关性黄斑病变和视网膜脱离，光感受器细胞死亡是最终的、不可逆转的事件。本文结合目前对细胞死亡机制的理解，探讨了预防光感受器细胞死亡的潜在策略。有证据表明，光感受器细胞天生就很脆弱，细胞凋亡是光感受器细胞丢失的最终共同途径，并且其他视网膜细胞在视杆细胞和视锥细胞的存活中起着重要作用。此外，还详细讨论了使用神经营养因子作为视网膜变性治疗药物的基本原理。文中还描述了通过操纵参与细胞凋亡的基因和一些药物制剂来挽救光感受器的方法。
