Research Summary
Trehalose is a natural disaccharide synthesized in various life forms but is not found in vertebrates. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates the exceptional bioprotective characteristics of trehalose. This review discusses scientific findings on the potential functions of trehalose in oxidative stress, protein clearance, and inflammation, with an emphasis on animal models and clinical trials in ophthalmology.
The main objective is to help understand the beneficial effects of trehalose in clinical trials and practice, particularly in patients suffering from ocular surface disease. The discussion is supplemented with an overview of patents for the use of trehalose in dry eye and prospects for the 2020s.
Keywords: trehalose, dry eye syndromes, oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, cytoprotection, randomized controlled trials, animal models, molecular chaperones, patents
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