Dysregulated Retinoic Acid Signaling in the Pathogenesis of Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, a stress-induced fibrotic matrix process, is the most common recognizable cause of open-angle glaucoma worldwide. The recent identification of PEX-associated gene variants uncovered the vitamin A metabolic pathway as a factor influencing the risk of disease. In this study, we analyzed the role of the retinoic acid (RA) signaling pathway in the PEX-associated matrix metabolism and evaluated its targeting as a potential candidate for an anti-fibrotic intervention. We provided evidence that decreased expression levels of RA pathway components and diminished RA signaling activity occur in an antagonistic crosstalk with TGF-β1/Smad signaling in ocular tissues and cells from PEX patients when compared with age-matched controls. Genetic and pharmacologic modes of

SUBMITTER: Zenkel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9180992 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature