advertisement
Glaucoma is characterized by a slow and progressive degeneration of optic nerve, including retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in the optic nerve head (ONH), leading to visual impairment. Despite the high prevalence, the biological basis of glaucoma pathogenesis still is not yet fully understood, and the factors contributing to its progression are currently not well characterized. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor, and reduction of IOP is the standard treatment for glaucoma. However, lowering IOP itself is not always effective for preserving visual function in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. The second messenger cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) regulates numerous biological processes in the central nervous system including retina and optic nerve. Although recent studies revealed that cAMP generated by adenylyl cyclases (ACs) is important in regulating aqueous humour dynamics in ocular tissues such as ciliary body and trabecular meshwork as well as cell death and growth in retina and optic nerve, the functional role and its significance of the cAMP in the eye of glaucoma remain to be elucidated. In this review, we will discuss the functional role of cAMP in aqueous humour dynamics and IOP regulation, and review the current medications, which are related to cAMP signaling pathway, for glaucoma treatment. Also, we will further focus on cAMP signaling in RGC growth and regeneration by soluble AC as well as ONH astrocytes by transmembrane ACs to understand its potential role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma neurodegeneration.
3.6 Cellular biology (Part of: 3 Laboratory methods)
2.13 Retina and retinal nerve fibre layer (Part of: 2 Anatomical structures in glaucoma)
11.8 Neuroprotection (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)