视网膜神经节细胞相关的表观遗传学研究进展

表观遗传是一种基因表达和功能的改变而非DNA序列的改变,且具有可逆性、可遗传性的调节方式.目前,表观遗传机制的研究主要集中在DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、染色体重塑及非编码RNA等.尽管青光眼的病因十分复杂,但最终通路都是视网膜神经节细胞(retinal ganglion cells,RGC)进行性死亡和视神经纤维的丢失.研究表明,表观遗传通过上述机制对RGC的生长发育、凋亡及神经元再生进行调控,揭示了青光眼发病过程中RGC的表观遗传调控机制,可能为青光眼的治疗提供新思路.

Advances of epigenetic related to retinal ganglion cells

Epigenetics influences gene expression and function without modification of the base sequence of DNA and may be reversible,heritable,and influenced by the environment.Epigenetics has become an increasingly important research field in biomedical.At present,the studies of epigenetic mechanism focus on DNA methylation,histone modifications,chromosomal remodeling and non-coding RNAs.Despite the complex causes of glaucoma,the final passage are retinal ganglion cells death and loss of optic nerve fibers.Current studies found that the growth and development,apoptosis and regeneration of retinal ganglion cells were regulated by the epigenetic changes,which may proclaim the epigenetic mechanism of the glaucoma and may provide new idea for the treatment of glaucoma.