Novel Potential Biomarkers for Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the main risk factor for vision-threatening disease in premature infants with low birth weight. An accumulating number of independent studies have focused on ROP pathogenesis and have demonstrated that laser photocoagulation therapy and/or anti-VEGF treatment are effective. However, early diagnosis of ROP is still critical. At present, the main method of ROP screening is based on binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy. However, the judgment of whether ROP occurs and whether treatment is necessary depends largely on ophthalmologists with a great deal of experience. Therefore, it is essential to develop a simple, accurate and effective diagnostic method. This review describes recent findings on novel biomarkers for the prediction, diagnosis and prognosis of ROP patients. The novel biomarkers were separated into the following categories: metabolites, cytokines and growth factors, non-coding RNAs, iconography, gut microbiota, oxidative stress biomarkers, and others. Biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity are urgently needed for the clinical applications of ROP. In addition, using non-invasive or minimally invasive methods to obtain samples is also important. Our review provides an overview of potential biomarkers of ROP.

Systemic Cytokines in Retinopathy of Prematurity

“…Disruption of the gut microbiota not only causes gastrointestinal diseases but also exerts systemic effects by changing intestinal permeability, releasing metabolic endotoxins into the blood circulation, inducing systemic inflammatory responses, and altering body growth [ 373 , 374 ]. Systemic inflammatory status potentially takes part in the development of diseases in all systems, including ophthalmic disorders [ 375 ]. The concepts of gut–brain [ 373 , 376 ], gut–respiratory [ 376 ], and gut–retina axes [ 374 , 377 ] have been discussed in the literature.…”

Editorial: State of the art in immunopathologic mechanisms underlying preterm birth pathways and biomarkers for prematurity prediction

“…ROP is a major cause of childhood blindness among infants born preterm. As this condition is frequently misdiagnosed (18), the identification of biomarkers can improve the diagnostic process as well as the assessment of disease prognosis. The original research provided by Li et al revealed that altered expression of circular RNAs-stable noncoding RNAs-in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells may be used as potential biomarkers for treatment-requiring ROP infants.…”

Hematologic Risk Factors for the Development of Retinopathy of Prematurity—A Retrospective Study

“…Several biomarkers, such as metabolites, cytokines, growth factors, non-coding RNAs, gut microbiota, or oxidative stress markers, have been proposed for the diagnosis or prediction of ROP [ 13 ]. The role of thrombocyte parameters in the prediction of ROP has been studied in several papers that have outlined the involvement of these elements in neoangiogenesis [ 14 ].…”