Naphazoline-induced suppression of aqueous humor pressure and flow: involvement of central and peripheral alpha(2)/I(1) receptors

Rationale for naphazoline effects in-depth study

This article presents a retrospective review of data on side effects of drugs containing naphazoline and data on toxicity of the agent when entered the body via different pathways. Most publications on clinical signs of possible naphazoline-associated side effects are lacking thorough analysis of possible causes. Limited data on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug led to various complications after its administration. Therefore, further studies on naphazoline content dynamics or products of its biotransformation in biological substrates and determination of half-life of the agent must be conducted. This will allow establishingsafe levels for different exposure pathways and harmful levels of the naphazoline with respect to its material accumulation. It should be noted that scientific publications contain controversial data regarding allergenic potential of the agent. Possible side effects of the drug on the reproductionand development are not revealed. Determination of effects the products containing naphazoline may have on immune and reproductive system is an important part of the research.

Simulating intravitreal injections in anatomically accurate models for rabbit, monkey, and human eyes

Purpose

To develop models for rabbit, monkey, and human that enable prediction of the clearance after intravitreal (IVT) injections in one species from experimental results obtained in another species.

Methods

Anatomically accurate geometric models were constructed for rabbit, monkey, and human that enabled computational fluid dynamic simulation of clearance of an IVT injected bolus. Models were constructed with and without the retrozonular space of Petit. Literature data on clearance after IVT injection of substances spanning a range of molecular weight up to 157 kDa were used to validate the rabbit model.

Results

The space of Petit had a significant increase on the clearance of slowly diffusing substances cleared by the anterior pathway by reducing the bottleneck for drug efflux. Models that did not include this zone could not accurately predict the clearance of slowly diffusing substances whose clearance was accelerated by intraocular pressure-driven convection.

Conclusions

The ocular anatomy must be carefully reconstructed in the model to enable accurate predictions of clearance. This method offers an alternative means for scaling experimental data from one species to another that may be more appropriate than other simple approaches based entirely upon scaling of compartment volumes and flow rates.

Imidazoline antihypertensive drugs: selective i(1) -imidazoline receptors activation

Involvement of imidazoline receptors (IR) in the regulation of vasomotor tone as well as in the mechanism of action of some centrally acting antihypertensives has received tremendous attention. To date, pharmacological studies have allowed the characterization of three main imidazoline receptor classes, the I(1) -imidazoline receptor which is involved in central inhibition of sympathetic tone to lower blood pressure, the I(2) -imidazoline receptor which is an allosteric binding site of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), and the I(3) -imidazoline receptor which regulates insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. All three imidazoline receptors represent important targets for cardiovascular research. The hypotensive effect of clonidine-like centrally acting antihypertensives was attributed both to α(2) -adrenergic receptors and nonadrenergic I(1) -imidazoline receptors, whereas their sedative action involves activation of only α(2) -adrenergic receptors located in the locus coeruleus. Since more selective I(1) -imidazoline receptors ligands reduced incidence of typical side effects of other centrally acting antihypertensives, there is significant interest in developing new agents with higher selectivity and affinity for I(1) -imidazoline receptors. The selective imidazoline receptors agents are also more effective in regulation of body fat, neuroprotection, inflammation, cell proliferation, epilepsy, depression, stress, cell adhesion, and pain. New agonists and antagonists with high selectivity for imidazoline receptor subtypes have been recently developed. In the present review we provide a brief update to the field of imidazoline research, highlighting some of the chemical diversity and progress made in the theoretical studies of imidazoline receptor ligands.

Ocular Effects of Cosmetic Products and Procedures

Cosmetic products and procedures can produce adverse effects on the ocular surface, ranging from mild discomfort to vision-threatening conditions. Complications of skin and eye products can be related to allergy or toxicity, often attributable to perfumes. Complications of blepharoplasty may be associated with overcorrection, scarring, or uneven contour of the lid margins, conditions that can cause significant ocular surface disease until they are corrected. Ocular surface effects of botulinum toxin injection include dry eye syndromes and also epiphora. More serious complications occur (rarely) and are dose- and location-related. Adverse effects of micropigmentation procedures involve pathological processes or, simply, poor cosmetic results. In certain youth cultures, special-effect contact lenses and even decorative conjunctival implants have gained popularity, presenting a wide variety of dangers, often attributable to poor education about care and hygiene.

LNP 906, the first high-affinity photoaffinity ligand selective for I1 imidazoline receptors

1 The hypotensive effect of imidazoline-like drugs, such as clonidine, was attributed both to alpha2-adrenergic receptors and nonadrenergic imidazoline receptors, which are divided into I1, I2 and I3 subtypes. 2 We have recently synthesized a derivative of (2-(2-chloro-4-iodo-phenylamino)-5-methyl-pyrroline (LNP 911), the first high-affinity and selective ligand for I1 receptors (I1R), with a photoactivable function (LNP 906). 3 This work aims to test whether this derivative retained the binding properties of LNP 911 and bound irreversibly to I1R. 4 Binding studies showed that LNP 906 exhibited nanomolar affinity for I1R and was selective for I1R over I2 receptors and alpha2-adrenergic receptors (alpha2Ars). 5 Upon exposure to u.v. light, LNP 906 irreversibly blocked the binding of [125I]-paraiodoclonidine (PIC) to I1R, time- and dose-dependently, on PC12 cell membranes and interacted with I1R in a reversible and competitive manner in the absence of light. Pharmacological studies showed that this blockade was prevented by the concomitant presence of rilmenidine (a well-known I1 agonist), but not by rauwolscine (an alpha2 antagonist). 6 Finally, LNP 906 clearly antagonized the decrease in forskolin-stimulated cAMP level induced by rilmenidine, but not by melatonin. 7 These results indicate that LNP 906 is the first high-affinity and selective photoaffinity ligand for I1R and that it behaves as an I1R antagonist.

[125I]2-(2-chloro-4-iodo-phenylamino)-5-methyl-pyrroline (LNP 911), a high-affinity radioligand selective for I1 imidazoline receptors

The I1 subtype of imidazoline receptors (I1R) is a plasma membrane protein that is involved in diverse physiological functions. Available radioligands used so far to characterize the I(1)R were able to bind with similar affinities to alpha2-adrenergic receptors (alpha2-ARs) and to I1R. This feature was a major drawback for an adequate characterization of this receptor subtype. New imidazoline analogs were therefore synthesized and the present study describes one of these compounds, 2-(2-chloro-4-iodo-phenylamino)-5-methyl-pyrroline (LNP 911), which was of high affinity and selectivity for the I1R. LNP 911 was radioiodinated and its binding properties characterized in different membrane preparations. Saturation experiments with [125I]LNP 911 revealed a single high affinity binding site in PC-12 cell membranes (K(D) = 1.4 nM; B(max) = 398 fmol/mg protein) with low nonspecific binding. [125I]LNP 911 specific binding was inhibited by various imidazolines and analogs but was insensitive to guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate. The rank order of potency of some competing ligands [LNP 911, PIC, rilmenidine, 4-chloro-2-(imidazolin-2-ylamino)-isoindoline (BDF 6143), lofexidine, and clonidine] was consistent with the definition of [125I]LNP 911 binding sites as I1R. However, other high-affinity I1R ligands (moxonidine, efaroxan, and benazoline) exhibited low affinities for these binding sites in standard binding assays. In contrast, when [125I]LNP 911 was preincubated at 4 degrees C, competition curves of moxonidine became biphasic. In this case, moxonidine exhibited similar high affinities on [125I]LNP 911 binding sites as on I1R defined with [125I]PIC. Moxonidine proved also able to accelerate the dissociation of [125I]LNP 911 from its binding sites. These results suggest the existence of an allosteric modulation at the level of the I1R, which seems to be corroborated by the dose-dependent enhancement by LNP 911 of the agonist effects on the adenylate cyclase pathway associated to I1R. Because [125I]LNP 911 was unable to bind to the I2 binding site and alpha2AR, our data indicate that [125I]LNP 911 is the first highly selective radioiodinated probe for I1R with a nanomolar affinity. This new tool should facilitate the molecular characterization of the I1 imidazoline receptor.