Toward a new frontier in diabetic retinopathy treatment: A synergistic approach using gene therapy and nanotechnology

Diabetic retinopathy, a progressive damage to retinal microvasculature due to prolonged hyperglycemia, causes blindness and vision impairment in millions of people globally. Current treatments have limitations, prompting the exploration of gene therapy to improve treatment efficacy and minimize side effects. Gene therapy shows promise by delivering therapeutic genes or oligonucleotides using viral or non-viral carriers. Investigations focus on achieving precise and sustained gene delivery to ocular tissues, employing strategies such as gene augmentation, targeted editing, and RNA interference to modulate pathways involved in angiogenesis and neurodegeneration. However, challenges remain, including optimizing cell-specific targeting, improving vector efficiency, managing immune responses, and establishing reliable outcome measures. This review explored the recent advancements in bio-nanotechnology aimed at targeted gene delivery strategy for managing diabetic retinopathy. • Existing treatments for diabetic retinopathy have significant limitations • Gene therapy offers potential by delivering therapeutic genes or oligonucleotides • Techniques like gene augmentation and RNA interference modulate key pathways • Gene therapy faces challenges due to DR complexity, toxicity risks, and vector limits • Ongoing research in bio-nanotechnology and gene delivery systems shows promise