Pyrroloquinoline Quinone and NAD+ Metabolism in Glaucoma: A Molecular Rationale for Combined Neuroprotection
Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2026 Aug 11;19(8):1268. doi: 10.3390/ph19081268. ABSTRACT Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and a paradigmatic age-related neurodegenerative disease in which retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are selectively lost through mechanisms that extend beyond intraocular pressure. Age-dependent NAD+ depletion in RGCs, compounded by the progressive impairment of NAD+ biosynthesis and by the […]
Mitochondrial RNA-Type I Interferon Axis in Sjogren’s Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Translational Implications
Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Aug 15;27(16):7295. doi: 10.3390/ijms27167295. ABSTRACT Sjögren’s disease (SjD) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by exocrine dysfunction, lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, and prominent activation of the interferon (IFN) pathway. Although IFN signatures are recognized as a central feature of SjD, endogenous triggers that sustain chronic IFN-driven inflammation remain […]
Vitelliform retinal lesions: Uncommon adult-onset presentation of the common mitochondrial MELAS variant
Mol Genet Metab. 2026 Aug 19;149(1-2):110245. doi: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2026.110245. Online ahead of print. NO ABSTRACT PMID:42648229 | DOI:10.1016/j.ymgme.2026.110245
Beyond the Central Nervous System: Uncovering Memantine’s Modulatory Role in the Peripheral Nervous System
Medicines (Basel). 2026 Aug 21;13(3):25. doi: 10.3390/medicines13030025. ABSTRACT Background: Memantine, an uncompetitive and voltage-dependent N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is clinically established for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s disease. Its pharmacodynamic profile, low-to-moderate affinity, rapid open-channel block, and strong voltage dependency allows selective inhibition of pathological NMDA overactivation while preserving physiological neurotransmission. Increasing evidence shows that these same mechanistic […]
Retinal Biomarkers of Folate and Vitamin B12 Metabolic Dysfunction: A Framework for Machine Learning-Assisted Detection of Cerebral Folate Deficiency
Cells. 2026 Aug 13;15(16):1453. doi: 10.3390/cells15161453. ABSTRACT Disruptions in folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 metabolism, including nutritional deficiency, folate receptor alpha (FRα) autoantibodies, and MTHFR/DHFR polymorphisms, impair one-carbon metabolism and produce measurable retinal structural, microvascular, and functional changes, offering a non-invasive window into systemic and cerebral metabolic dysfunction, particularly cerebral folate deficiency (CFD). This […]
Adaptive and degenerative mitochondrial remodeling define distinct redox states in age-related macular degeneration
Redox Biol. 2026 Aug 22;96:104365. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2026.104365. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, yet the relationship between mitochondrial remodeling, redox homeostasis, and disease progression remains poorly understood. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) develop spontaneous AMD-related phenotypes, including punctate deposits and soft drusen, providing a unique animal […]
Mitochondrial outer membrane protein FUNDC2 contributes to ferroptosis as a potential upstream regulator in retinitis pigmentosa
Int J Ophthalmol. 2026 Sep 18;19(9):1667-1675. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2026.09.02. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT AIM: To investigate the key role of the mitochondrial outer membrane protein FUN14 domain-containing 2 (FUNDC2) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) ferroptosis during retinitis pigmentosa (RP) progression. METHODS: Unbiased label-free proteomics was employed to identify differentially expressed proteins in the RPE of a sodium […]
Glucocorticoid-induced RPE injury in ARPE-19 cells: association with excessive autophagy and AMPK/mTOR signaling
Int J Ophthalmol. 2026 Sep 18;19(9):1657-1666. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2026.09.01. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT AIM: To investigate whether excessive glucocorticoid (GC) exposure disrupts retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) homeostasis through glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-dependent autophagy hyperactivation. METHODS: Human retinal pigment epithelial cell line (ARPE-19 cells) were exposed to GC (0-100 µmol/L, 48h). GR subcellular localization was analyzed via mitochondrial fractionation […]
Targeting ferroptosis in ocular diseases: mechanisms, clinical implications, and therapeutic horizons
Int J Ophthalmol. 2026 Sep 18;19(9):1858-1877. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2026.09.21. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by lipid peroxidation, has been increasingly implicated in selected ocular diseases, although its causal relevance varies across disease entities. The retina and retinal pigment epithelium are biologically susceptible to ferroptosis-related injury because of their high […]
Resveratrol mitigates hypoxia-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage and apoptosis via inhibition of TRPA1 channel in retinal pigment epithelial cells
Int J Ophthalmol. 2026 Sep 18;19(9):1676-1686. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2026.09.03. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT AIM: To investigate the modulator action of resveratrol (RSV) through the suppression of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) on the hypoxia (HPO)-caused oxidative degeneration and apoptosis in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE19). METHODS: The control (CNT), RSV (50 µmol/L for 24h), HPO […]