Physiology and Pathophysiology of PPARs in the Eye

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors that exert significant roles in the control of multiple physiological processes. The last decade has shown an increasing interest in the role played by the agonists of PPARs in anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-fibrotic effects and in modulating oxidative stress response in different organs. Since the pathologic mechanisms of the majority of the blinding diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and optic neuropathy (ON), often involve neo-angiogenesis, inflammation and oxidative stress-mediated cell death, evidences are accumulating on the potential benefits of PPAR modulation to prevent or ameliorate eye pathologies. In this review, we focused on the description of what is known about the role of PPARs in the ocular pathophysiological processes and on PPARs agonists as innovative adjuvants in the treatment of ocular diseases.