Publication: Functional aspects of the somatostatinergic system in the retina and the potential therapeutic
role of somatostatin in retinal disease
Authors
Casini, G. ; Catalani, E. ; Dal Monte, M. ; Bagnoli, P.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
The somatostatinergic system of the retina
has been investigated in a variety of studies. A
considerable amount of experimental evidence is
available concerning the patterns of expression of
somatostatin (SRIF) and its receptors in vertebrate
retinas. However the functional roles of this peptidergic
system in retinal physiology are far from being
elucidated. Nonetheless, data have been provided
concerning the regulatory action of SRIF on the
excitability of different retinal cell types and on the
modulation of ion channels in different vertebrate
retinas. The present review is focused on recent and
unpublished investigations of the mouse retina relative
to the involvement of specific SRIF receptors in the
regulation of ion channels and transmitter release, the
transduction pathways coupled to SRIF receptors, and
the mechanisms regulating the expression of SRIF and
its receptors as derived from studies in transgenic animal
models. In these models, altered expression levels of
SRIF or of specific SRIF receptors have also been found
to affect the morphology of retinal cell types (namely the
rod bipolar cells) and to result in functional alterations at
the level of both ion channel regulation and transmitter
release. These new pieces of evidence constitute an important step forward in the understanding of the
functional actions of the retinal somatostatinergic
system, although our current knowledge is far from
being exhaustive. The ultimate goal of understanding
SRIF functional actions in the retina is concerned with
the possibility of using SRIF or its analogs as therapeutic
agents to cure retinal diseases. Indeed, encouraging
results are being obtained in clinical investigations
focused on the use of SRIF analogs to treat diabetic
retinopathy, a retinal disease with high social impact and
originating as a complication of diabetes. The closing
part of the present paper examines the evidence supporting SRIF as a promising therapeutic agent in this
disease.
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