TY - JOUR

T1 - Glial Cells in Glaucoma

T2 - Friends, Foes, and Potential Therapeutic Targets

AU - García-Bermúdez, Mariana Y.

AU - Freude, Kristine K.

AU - Mouhammad, Zaynab A.

AU - van Wijngaarden, Peter

AU - Martin, Keith K.

AU - Kolko, Miriam

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting ~80 million people by 2020 (1, 2). The condition is characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons accompanied by visual field loss. The underlying pathophysiology of glaucoma remains elusive. Glaucoma is recognized as a multifactorial disease, and lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only treatment that has been shown to slow the progression of the condition. However, a significant number of glaucoma patients continue to go blind despite intraocular pressure-lowering treatment (2). Thus, the need for alternative treatment strategies is indisputable. Accumulating evidence suggests that glial cells play a significant role in supporting RGC function and that glial dysfunction may contribute to optic nerve disease. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the role of glial cells in the pathophysiology of glaucoma. A particular focus is on the dynamic and essential interactions between glial cells and RGCs and potential therapeutic approaches to glaucoma by targeting glial cells.

AB - Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting ~80 million people by 2020 (1, 2). The condition is characterized by a progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons accompanied by visual field loss. The underlying pathophysiology of glaucoma remains elusive. Glaucoma is recognized as a multifactorial disease, and lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only treatment that has been shown to slow the progression of the condition. However, a significant number of glaucoma patients continue to go blind despite intraocular pressure-lowering treatment (2). Thus, the need for alternative treatment strategies is indisputable. Accumulating evidence suggests that glial cells play a significant role in supporting RGC function and that glial dysfunction may contribute to optic nerve disease. Here, we review recent advances in understanding the role of glial cells in the pathophysiology of glaucoma. A particular focus is on the dynamic and essential interactions between glial cells and RGCs and potential therapeutic approaches to glaucoma by targeting glial cells.

KW - astrocytes

KW - Glaucoma

KW - glia

KW - microglia

KW - Müller glial cells

KW - oligodendrocytes

KW - retinal ganglion cells

KW - retinal glia interactions

U2 - 10.3389/fneur.2021.624983

DO - 10.3389/fneur.2021.624983

M3 - Review

C2 - 33796062

AN - SCOPUS:85103405633

VL - 12

JO - Frontiers in Neurology

JF - Frontiers in Neurology

SN - 1664-2295

M1 - 624983

ER -