近日，中山大学中山眼科中心袁进教授团队在干眼症的研究上取得重大突破，揭示了干眼症的发病机制与昼夜节律紊乱密切相关。这一发现不仅对理解干眼症的成因提供了新视角，还为后续的治疗提供了潜在的靶点。
干眼症是一种常见的视觉和生活质量影响因素，其主要表现为泪液分泌不足或泪液蒸发过快，导致眼睛干涩、疲劳等症状。中山大学中山眼科中心的研究团队经过深入研究发现，核心节律分子BMAL1的下调与角膜跨膜黏蛋白MUC4表达的降低有关，这可能是昼夜节律紊乱促进干眼症发生发展的关键机制。
BMAL1是参与调节生物钟的基因之一，其表达水平在人体的昼夜节律中起着关键作用。袁进教授团队的研究显示，当BMAL1表达下降时，角膜跨膜黏蛋白MUC4的表达也相应减少，这可能导致角膜表面的润滑作用减弱，进而引发干眼症。
此外，研究还发现褪黑素——一种在夜间分泌的激素——在恢复全身及眼部昼夜节律方面具有重要作用。这为干眼症的治疗提供了一个新的方向，即通过调节褪黑素水平或其受体的活性，可能有助于恢复正常的昼夜节律，从而减轻干眼症的症状。
中山大学中山眼科中心的这一研究成果，不仅为干眼症的病因学研究提供了新的理论依据，也为开发更有效的干眼症治疗方法开辟了道路。未来，研究人员将继续深入探索这一机制的细节，并致力于将这些发现转化为临床应用，以期为干眼症患者带来更好的治疗效果。
这一研究不仅对眼科领域具有重要意义，也对生物钟研究和睡眠医学等领域产生了积极影响，展示了跨学科合作在揭示复杂疾病机制方面的巨大潜力。
英语如下：
### New Insights into Dry Eye Disease: Disrupted Circadian Rhythms May Be Key, Melatonin Could Help Restore
In a significant breakthrough in the field of dry eye disease research, a team led by Professor Yuan Jin from the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, has unveiled a new mechanism underlying the condition. Their findings suggest that disrupted circadian rhythms could be a pivotal factor in the development of dry eye disease, offering new perspectives on its etiology and potential therapeutic targets.
Dry eye disease, a common ailment affecting visual and quality of life, is characterized by insufficient tear secretion or excessive tear evaporation, leading to symptoms such as dryness and fatigue. The research team, after extensive investigation, discovered that the downregulation of the core circadian rhythm gene, BMAL1, is linked to a reduction in the expression of transmembrane mucin MUC4 in the cornea. This finding indicates that disrupted circadian rhythms may play a crucial role in the progression of dry eye disease.
BMAL1 is one of the genes involved in regulating the body’s biological clock, playing a pivotal role in the body’s circadian rhythm. The team’s research revealed that when the expression of BMAL1 decreases, the expression of MUC4, a transmembrane mucin in the cornea, also decreases, potentially weakening the lubricating function of the corneal surface and contributing to the development of dry eye disease.
Moreover, the study found that melatonin, a hormone secreted at night, plays a significant role in restoring the circadian rhythms of the body and the eye. This discovery opens up new avenues for treating dry eye disease, suggesting that adjusting melatonin levels or the activity of its receptors could help restore normal circadian rhythms, thus alleviating the symptoms of dry eye disease.
This research, conducted by the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, not only provides new theoretical foundations for the study of the pathogenesis of dry eye disease but also paves the way for the development of more effective treatments. Future research aims to delve deeper into the details of this mechanism and translate these findings into clinical applications, with the ultimate goal of improving the treatment outcomes for dry eye disease patients.
The significance of this study extends beyond ophthalmology, influencing fields such as chronobiology and sleep medicine, highlighting the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration in unraveling the complexities of disease mechanisms.
【来源】http://www.chinanews.com/life/2024/07-13/10250930.shtml
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