The mTOR signalling in corneal diseases: A recent update

Abstract

Corneal diseases affect 4.2 million people worldwide and are a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness. Current treatments for corneal diseases, such as antibiotics, steroids, and surgical interventions, have numerous disadvantages and challenges. Thus, there is an urgent need for more effective therapies. Although the pathogenesis of corneal diseases is not fully understood, it is known that injury caused by various stresses and postinjury healing, such as epithelial renewal, inflammation, stromal fibrosis, and neovascularization, are highly involved. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulator of cell growth, metabolism, and the immune response. Recent studies have revealed that activation of mTOR signalling extensively contributes to the pathogenesis of various corneal diseases, and inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin achieves promising outcomes, supporting the potential of mTOR as a therapeutic target. In this review, we detail the function of mTOR in corneal diseases and how these characteristics contribute to disease treatment using mTOR-targeted drugs.