TY - JOUR
T1 - In search of new targets for retinal neuroprotection
T2 - Is there a role for autophagy?
AU - Russo, Rossella
AU - Berliocchi, Laura
AU - Adornetto, Annagrazia
AU - Amantea, Diana
AU - Nucci, Carlo
AU - Tassorelli, Cristina
AU - Morrone, Luigi Antonio
AU - Bagetta, Giacinto
AU - Corasaniti, Maria Tiziana
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic pathway in which proteins and organelles are engulfed by vacuoles that are targeted to lysosomes for degradation. Defects in the autophagic machinery have been described in several neurodegenerative diseases uncovering the tight dependency of neuronal survival on the efficiency of the autophagic process. Despite the large amount of literature investigating autophagy in a number of pathological conditions our knowledge of its role in glaucoma neurodegeneration is just beginning. However, recent experimental data revealing that autophagy modulation occurs in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) under glaucoma-related stressing conditions support the hypothesis that dysfunctional autophagy might underlie the process leading to RGC death. Although our understanding of the role of autophagy in glaucoma is still developing, there is the possibility that neuroprotection may be achieved by modulating autophagy. This would be a promising approach as it could lead to the much-sought development of alternative therapeutic strategies to prevent visual loss in glaucoma.
AB - Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic pathway in which proteins and organelles are engulfed by vacuoles that are targeted to lysosomes for degradation. Defects in the autophagic machinery have been described in several neurodegenerative diseases uncovering the tight dependency of neuronal survival on the efficiency of the autophagic process. Despite the large amount of literature investigating autophagy in a number of pathological conditions our knowledge of its role in glaucoma neurodegeneration is just beginning. However, recent experimental data revealing that autophagy modulation occurs in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) under glaucoma-related stressing conditions support the hypothesis that dysfunctional autophagy might underlie the process leading to RGC death. Although our understanding of the role of autophagy in glaucoma is still developing, there is the possibility that neuroprotection may be achieved by modulating autophagy. This would be a promising approach as it could lead to the much-sought development of alternative therapeutic strategies to prevent visual loss in glaucoma.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.coph.2012.09.004
DO - 10.1016/j.coph.2012.09.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 23036350
AN - SCOPUS:84871343314
VL - 13
SP - 72
EP - 77
JO - Current Opinion in Pharmacology
JF - Current Opinion in Pharmacology
SN - 1471-4892
IS - 1
ER -