Role of interferons in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major causes of visual impairment and irreversible blindness in developed regions. Aside from abnormal angiogenesis, inflammation is the most specific and might be the initiating factor of DR. As a key participant in inflammation, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) can be detected in different parts of the eye and is responsible for the breakdown of the blood-retina barrier and activation of inflammatory cells and other cytokines, which accelerate neovascularization and neuroglial degeneration. In addition, IFN-γ is involved in other vascular complications of diabetes mellitus and angiogenesis-dependent diseases, such as diabetic nephropathy, cerebral microbleeds, and age-related macular degeneration. Traditional treatments, such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents, vitrectomy, and laser photocoagulation therapy, are more effective for angiogenesis and not tolerable for every patient. Many ongoing clinical trials are exploring effective drugs that target inflammation. For instance, IFN-α acts against viruses and angiogenesis and is commonly used to treat malignant tumors. Moreover, IFN-α has been shown to contribute to alleviating the progression of DR and other ocular diseases. In this review, we emphasize the roles that IFNs play in the pathogenesis of DR and discuss potential clinical applications of IFNs in DR, such as diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic treatment.

Changes in aqueous and vitreous inflammatory cytokine levels in proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Angiopoietin-2 influences blood-retinal barrier stabilization and vessel remodelling through mediation of Tie-2 phosphorylation and is elevated in the retina of diabetic patients with chronic hyperglycaemia [357,358]. IFN-γ is a key participant in inflammation in diabetic retinopathy through the breakdown of the blood-retina barrier and upregulation of other proangiogenic cytokines [359]. This also induces the release of IP-10, another CXC chemokine that in turn prevents neovascularization and inhibits IL-8-induced chemotaxis [86,360].…”

Anterior chamber cytokine production and postoperative macular edema in patients with diabetes undergoing FLACS

“…IFN-γ is believed to be responsible for the breakdown of the blood–retina barrier and activation of inflammatory cells and other cytokines, which accelerate neovascularization and neuroglial degeneration. 20 Previous studies found higher IFN-γ levels in patients with diabetic retinopathy, but studies have reported mixed results on the differences in IFN-γ level in non-diabetic patients vs patients with diabetes without retinopathy. 15,16 It is likely that since most of our patients with diabetes had no diabetic retinopathy, they did not have high INF-γ levels at baseline.…”

Discovering potential pathways between type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy: A big data analysis of the South Korean National Sample Cohort

“…For instance, interferon treatment for HCV infection has been connected to the onset of diabetic retinopathy. [27,28]…”

“…For instance, interferon treatment for HCV infection has been connected to the onset of diabetic retinopathy. [27,28] Although cervical disc disorders and diabetic retinopathy may not be directly linked, they could be related within the proposed network. Indeed, individuals with cervical disc anomalies might face a higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy due to mutual risk factors.…”