What We Know about the Updated Information from Genes to Eye Disease

Dear Colleagues,

Genes control the basic functional processes of cells from DNA to proteins, while aberrant gene expression may contribute to the formation of pathologic conditions, including inflammatory, fibrotic, degenerative, angiogenic, senescent and traumatic eye disease. Genes related to the maintenance of normal vision functions and their roles in the pathogenesis of eye diseases are regulated by multilayers such epigenetic factors (DNA methylation, histone acetylation, non-coding RNA); RNA modification, more specifically N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification; and numerous transcription and translation factors. This is especially true for complex eye diseases such as corneal degeneration, glaucoma, uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, ocular trauma and tumors. Thus, from aberrant gene expression to ocular diseases, pathological processes are regulated by networks involving genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

The pathogenesis of these complex eye diseases is still under investigation, and many questions remain to be answered; in particular, how do abnormal genes cause eye diseases? What is the link and pathways between genes and eye diseases? What roles do epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics play in complex eye diseases, and could the parameters of these omics be potential biomarkers and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of the eye diseases? Therefore, in this Special Issue, updated studies referring to ocular cell structures, cell function (proliferation, migration and differentiation), cell signaling, cell death, inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, degeneration and regeneration based on aberrant gene expression or its relevance to the omics will be included. Studies including data from genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics are preferable. Original articles and review papers are welcome.

Dr. Shikun He
Guest Editor

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