摘要
Retinal degeneration(RD)encompasses a diverse range of disorders and is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.1 Patients with RD share a common feature:extensive loss of photoreceptors,which leads to a deafferented neural retina and subsequent neurodegeneration.Currently,clinical therapeutic options for RD are limited,as is the case for many neurodegenerative diseases,although new therapeutic approaches,including gene therapy,stem cell therapy,optogenetics,and retinal prostheses are on the horizon.2 This reinforces the urgent need for effective therapies,especially pharmacological interventions that can slow down or halt the progression of RD and preserve visual function.RD can be classified into monogenic diseases,such as retinitis pigmentosa,and complex diseases with well-established genetic risk factors,such as age-related macular degeneration.3 Regardless of the specific mechanisms causing vision impairment or loss in different cases,the ultimate outcome is the same-photoreceptor degeneration.However,the pathological changes and pathogenic mechanisms underlying photoreceptor degeneration in RD remain largely elusive.
基金
supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170687 and 32241014)。
