Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Diabetes. Nov 15, 2026; 17(11): 124773
Published online Nov 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.124773
Published online Nov 15, 2026. doi: 10.4239/wjd.124773
PRDX2 and Müller cells in diabetic retinopathy
Francesco Cappellani, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna "Kore", Enna 94100, Italy
Francesco Cappellani, Mediterranean Foundation, "G.B. Morgagni", Catania 95125, Italy
Matteo Capobianco, Eye Clinic, Policlinico G. Rodolico, University of Catania, Catania 95121, Italy
Matteo Capobianco, Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
Antonio M. Vicari, Unità Operativa Complessa di Oftalmologia, Azienda Ospedaliera per l’Emergenza “Cannizzaro”, Catania 95026, Italy
Antonio M. Vicari, Istituto di Oftalmologia, Università degli studi di Catania, Catania 95123, Italy
Marco Zeppieri, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine 33100, Italy
Marco Zeppieri, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste 34127, Italy
Co-first authors: Francesco Cappellani and Matteo Capobianco.
Author contributions: Cappellani F and Capobianco M contributed equally to this paper and therefore share first authorship; Zeppieri M, Capobianco M, Vicari AM, and Cappellani F wrote the outline; Zeppieri M, Capobianco M, and Cappellani F conducted the research and wrote the manuscript; Zeppieri M, Vicari AM, and Cappellani F assisted in writing the draft and final paper; Zeppieri M and Cappellani F were responsible for the conception and design of the study; Zeppieri M, Capobianco M, Vicari AM, and Cappellani F contributed to the scientific editing; Zeppieri M, Vicari AM, and Cappellani F assisted in editing, made critical revisions to the manuscript, and reviewed all versions of the manuscript. All authors gave final approval of the article.
AI contribution statement: During the revision of this manuscript, ChatGPT (OpenAI, GPT-5.4) and Grammarly were used to support language editing, rephrasing, and lexical refinement. No AI tools were employed in making scientific inferences or defining the conclusions of this review. The authors retain full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and final content of this manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Corresponding author: Marco Zeppieri, MD, PhD, Postdoc, Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, p. le S. Maria della Misericordia 15, Udine 33100, Italy. mark.zeppieri@asufc.sanita.fvg.it
Received: June 24, 2026
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: August 10, 2026
Published online: November 15, 2026
Processing time: 132 Days and 5.7 Hours
Revised: July 10, 2026
Accepted: August 10, 2026
Published online: November 15, 2026
Processing time: 132 Days and 5.7 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The emerging role of Müller cell dysfunction in anticipating and worsening diabetic retinopathy is increasingly acknowledged. The altered redox balance in Müller glial hyperreactivity that triggers the RhoA/ROCK pathway was extensively demonstrated by Du et al through peroxiredoxin-2 (PRDX2). This article reviews PRDX2-related cytoskeletal reorganization and glial proliferation. It also offers a perspective that extends beyond the conventional role of antioxidant enzymes and identifies potential targeted therapies to counteract gliosis and preserve neurovascular health.