Therapeutic roles of PPARα activation in ocular ischemic diseases

Abstract

Ocular ischemia is one of the leading causes of blindness. It is related to various ocular diseases and disorders, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and corneal injury. Ocular ischemia occurs due to an abnormal supply of oxygen and nutrients to the eye, resulting in ocular metabolic dysfunction. These changes can be linked with pathologic conditions in the eye, such as inflammation, neovascularization, and cell death, ultimately leading to vision loss. The current treatment care for ocular ischemia is limited. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a nuclear receptor protein functioning in regulating lipid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and glucose homeostasis. Recently, PPARα activation has been suggested as a useful therapeutic target in treating ocular ischemia. However, its applications have not been well summarized. In this review, we cover an overview of the therapeutic roles of PPARα activation in various ocular ischemic conditions with recent experimental evidence and further provide clinical implications of its therapeutic applications. Our review will enable more approaches to comprehensively understand the therapeutic roles of PPARα activation for preventing ocular ischemic diseases.