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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Huei-Jane Lee

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Guest Editor

Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, No. 110, Section 1, Jianguo N. Road, South District, Taichung City 40221, Taiwan
Interests: diabetic nephropathy/retinopathy; obesity; eye

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Obesity cause dyslipidemia and chronic inflammation, increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), and insulin resistance (IR). These responses not only impact genetic/epigenetic modulation but also correlate to retinopathy, macular lesion, corneal diseases, and glaucoma. As a result of multiple eye diseases caused by obesity, proposing the underlying mechanisms to prevent or treat the diseases is important. Researchers reportedly indicate that obesity provoked cellular mechanisms include serine/threonine-specific protein kinase PI3K/AKT, Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK, AMPK pathway, etc. Some studies explore that obesity cause retinal neovascularization, dry eye, and the other disorders. To underpin the pivotal role of obesity in eye disease, this Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences focuses on various aspects of obesity caused eye disease including pathophysiological mechanisms, molecular mechanisms, human studies, animal models, diagnosis, prevention, and therapeutic targets.

Original research articles or reviews will aim to assess and report on the obesity-caused eye disease on molecular targets or molecule-molecule interactions such as receptors, enzymes, transcription factors, translational regulation, etc., or on mechanisms ranging from general oxidation and inflammatory activities, to the more specific effects on eye disease. It is expected that the relationship between obesity and eye disease can be uncovered to control the progression of eye disease.

Prof. Dr. Huei-Jane Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

obesity
retinopathy
cornea
glaucoma
dry eye
gene regulation
transcription factor
translational regulation
eye disease
molecular signaling
macular disease
neovascularization
drugs
natural product
nanomedicine

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 2138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phenotypic and Genetic Links between Body Fat Measurements and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

by Shi Song Rong and Xinting Yu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3925; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043925 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5406

Abstract

The phenotypic and genetic links between body fat phenotypes and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) are unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of relevant longitudinal epidemiological studies to evaluate the phenotypic link. To identify genetic links, we performed genetic correlation analysis and pleiotropy analysis of genome-wide association study summary statistics datasets of POAG, intraocular pressure (IOP), vertical cup-to-disc ratio, obesity, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-hip ratio. In the meta-analysis, we first established that obese and underweight populations have a significantly higher risk of POAG using longitudinal data. We also discovered positive genetic correlations between POAG and BMI and obesity phenotypes. Finally, we identified over 20 genomic loci jointly associated with POAG/IOP and BMI. Among them, the genes loci CADM2, RP3-335N17.2, RP11-793K1.1, RPS17P5, and CASC20 showed the lowest false discovery rate. These findings support the connection between body fat phenotypes and POAG. The newly identified genomic loci and genes render further functional investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cross-Talk between Obesity and Eye Diseases: Pathogenesis and Preventive/Therapeutic Strategies)

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Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 2069 KiB

Open AccessReview

Microbiome Dysbiosis: A Pathological Mechanism at the Intersection of Obesity and Glaucoma

by Salvatore Pezzino, Maria Sofia, Luigi Piero Greco, Giorgia Litrico, Giulia Filippello, Iacopo Sarvà, Gaetano La Greca and Saverio Latteri

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(2), 1166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24021166 - 06 Jan 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2829

Abstract

The rate at which obesity is becoming an epidemic in many countries is alarming. Obese individuals have a high risk of developing elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma. Additionally, glaucoma is a disease of epidemic proportions. It is characterized by neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation with optic neuropathy and the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGC). On the other hand, there is growing interest in microbiome dysbiosis, particularly in the gut, which has been widely acknowledged to play a prominent role in the etiology of metabolic illnesses such as obesity. Recently, studies have begun to highlight the fact that microbiome dysbiosis could play a critical role in the onset and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in the development and progression of several ocular disorders. In obese individuals, gut microbiome dysbiosis can induce endotoxemia and systemic inflammation by causing intestinal barrier malfunction. As a result, bacteria and their metabolites could be delivered via the bloodstream or mesenteric lymphatic vessels to ocular regions at the level of the retina and optic nerve, causing tissue degeneration and neuroinflammation. Nowadays, there is preliminary evidence for the existence of brain and intraocular microbiomes. The altered microbiome of the gut could perturb the resident brain–ocular microbiome ecosystem which, in turn, could exacerbate the local inflammation. All these processes, finally, could lead to the death of RGC and neurodegeneration. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the recent evidence on the role of gut microbiome dysbiosis and related inflammation as common mechanisms underlying obesity and glaucoma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cross-Talk between Obesity and Eye Diseases: Pathogenesis and Preventive/Therapeutic Strategies)

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