Mitochondrial optic neuropathies – Disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies

TL;DR: To evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of idebenone therapy, the results presented by Klopstock et al. (2011) concerning the RHODOS study on a clinical trial with Idebenone in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) were reviewed.

TL;DR: These so-called “plus” phenotypes are mechanistically important as they put the loss of RGCs within the broader perspective of neuronal loss and mitochondrial dysfunction, highlighting common pathways that could be modulated to halt progressive neurodegeneration in other related CNS disorders.

TL;DR: In this paper , the authors show that oocytes evade reactive oxygen species (ROS) by remodelling the mitochondrial electron transport chain through elimination of complex I. Complex I suppression represents an evolutionarily conserved strategy that allows longevity while maintaining biological activity in long-lived oocytes.

TL;DR: The present review focuses on the progress made to date on understanding the biology of mitochondrial dynamics and quality control and how dysregulation of these processes can profoundly affect retinal ganglion cell viability and function in optic nerve diseases.

TL;DR: The complete sequence of the 16,569-base pair human mitochondrial genome is presented and shows extreme economy in that the genes have none or only a few noncoding bases between them, and in many cases the termination codons are not coded in the DNA but are created post-transcriptionally by polyadenylation of the mRNAs.

TL;DR: Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, disproportionately affecting women and Asians, and it will be 60.5 million people with OAG and ACG in 2010, increasing to 79.6 million by 2020, and of these, 74% will have OAG.

TL;DR: In this article, the prevalence of glaucoma among people worldwide was estimated by using available published data to determine the relation of open angle and angle closure with age in people of European, African, and Asian origin.