Histone Lysine Methylation: A Potential New Treatment Target with Respect to BDNF Gene in Type 2 Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Type 2 diabetic retinopathy (T2DR) is a highly developed manifestation of diabetic retinopathy along with a prominent cause of sightlessness on a global scale. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is an associate of neurotrophin family of proteins and enciphered by the BDNF gene is very effectual in shielding retinas from abnormally high blood sugar associated with diabetes in-vitro. Till date, very less number of facts with respect to epigenetic modification is known in T2DR and future aspect associated with epigenetic studies can be explored in this slow progressing disease. Epigenetics have now turned out to be a crucial field of study in bioscience experimentation which regulates gene expression and change their function without any alteration in the DNA sequence in diabetic environment. Histone lysine methylatio take part in alteration of chromatin structure and regulation of gene expression. After going through the available literature, it can be hypothesized that by regulating H3K9 methylation which is a repressive mark, expression level of BDNF can be regulated which in turn can normalize the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway and may protect apoptosis of human retinal cells in T2DR promoting their survival. mechanizable approach into histone modification may provide the mode for therapeutic function of drugs in T2DR. The present review is focused on histone methylation (H3K9) with respect to BDNF gene expression related to pathogenesis in T2DR and might be helpful for therapeutic purpose.