The P23H Rhodopsin Mouse Model Reveals a Novel Interaction Between the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Connecting Cilium Rootlet Within Photoreceptors
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2026 Mar 2;67(3):57. doi: 10.1167/iovs.67.3.57. ABSTRACT PURPOSE: Photoreceptors are highly polarized sensory neurons containing a modified cilium known as the outer segment. This cilium has a rootlet that spans the length of the metabolically active inner segment and anchors the outer segment to the remainder of the photoreceptor. The full function […]
Procyanidin capsules attenuate PI3K/AKT-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and accelerate skin wound healing in diabetic mice
Mater Today Bio. 2026 Mar 14;38:103029. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2026.103029. eCollection 2026 Jun. ABSTRACT Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress considerably hinders healing of diabetic wounds, primarily due to mitochondrial dysfunction. This pathology leads to an excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disrupts respiratory chain function, and impairs energy metabolism. This study introduces procyanidin (PC) capsules designed to target […]
Everolimus suppresses glucose transporter 3 membrane trafficking to improve therapeutic efficacy of umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in diabetic retinopathy
Cell Death Dis. 2026 Mar 28. doi: 10.1038/s41419-026-08673-6. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular and retinal neurologic disorder that occurs in patients with long-term diabetes. Umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UCB-MSC) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment because of its regenerative potential; however, its effectiveness is limited under […]
PM(10) Disrupts Mitochondrial Homeostasis in Corneal Epithelial Cells: Protective Effects of SKQ1
Antioxidants (Basel). 2026 Feb 25;15(3):284. doi: 10.3390/antiox15030284. ABSTRACT Airborne particulate matter with a diameter of <10 μm (PM10) can damage the corneal epithelium by inducing oxidative stress, disrupting the NRF2 antioxidant pathway, and triggering epithelial barrier dysfunction and inflammation. However, the role of mitochondria in mediating PM10-induced damage remains unexplored. This study investigated the impact […]
Mitochondrial ROS in Retinal Neurodegeneration: Thresholds, Quality Control Failure, and Precision Therapeutic Windows
Biomolecules. 2026 Mar 16;16(3):445. doi: 10.3390/biom16030445. ABSTRACT Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) play a dual role in retinal physiology, acting as essential redox signalling mediators under homeostatic conditions but driving oxidative damage and neurodegeneration once regulatory thresholds are exceeded. Owing to the exceptionally high energetic demands of retinal neurons and supporting cells, even subtle perturbations […]
Energetic diversity in retinal ganglion cells is modulated by neuronal activity and correlates with resilience to degeneration
Nat Commun. 2026 Mar 27. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-71106-7. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Neuronal function requires high energy expenditure that is likely customized to meet specific signaling demands. However, little is known about diversity of metabolic homeostasis among divergently-functioning types of neurons. To this end, we examined retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), a population of closely related, […]
MFN2-PERK Axis Regulates ER Stress in Parotid Glands of Aged Mice via MAMs
J Dent Res. 2026 Mar 28:220345261427294. doi: 10.1177/00220345261427294. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT With aging, the morphology and function of the parotid glands are impaired, and the current mechanism is unknown. The integrity of mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs), the structure connecting mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is compromised during aging. This study investigated the effects […]
Complement, Inflammasome, and Microglial Crosstalk in Glaucoma: From Neurodegeneration to Immune-Based Precision Therapy
Life (Basel). 2026 Feb 24;16(3):368. doi: 10.3390/life16030368. ABSTRACT Glaucoma is no longer viewed solely as a pressure-mediated optic neuropathy but as a chronic neurodegenerative disease with a strong immune component. Across experimental models and patient samples, convergent inflammatory circuitry complement activation, NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, and microglial reactivity emerge as a central driver of retinal ganglion […]
Mapping the Hypoxic Fitness Landscape of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Mar 21;27(6):2857. doi: 10.3390/ijms27062857. ABSTRACT Chronic hypoxia is a hallmark of aging and retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), yet the molecular mechanisms that enable retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells to survive under sustained low-oxygen conditions remain poorly understood. To address this, we conducted transcriptomic profiling and a […]
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Oxygen Consumption and Systemic Bioenergetics in Glaucoma Management
Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Mar 16;27(6):2704. doi: 10.3390/ijms27062704. ABSTRACT Glaucoma is a multifaceted optic neuropathy, characterized by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. This damage frequently continues even after intraocular pressure (IOP) has been effectively lowered. This resistance to conventional IOP-lowering therapy underscores the critical role of interacting IOP-independent mechanisms; specifically metabolic failure […]