4-(5-benzo(1-3)dioxol-5-yl-4-pyridin-2-yl-1h-imidazol-2-yl)benzamide and Glaucoma

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor for the onset and progression of glaucoma. IOP reduction has been proven effective in the treatment of glaucoma. IOP is controlled by the production and outflow of the aqueous humor (AH), and the trabecular meshwork (TM) is the main pathway for AH drainage from the eye. However, there are few conventional IOP-lowering treatments that target TM, and there is a need for such treatments. In this study, we screened for the expression level of fibronectin as an indicator and identified an activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 5 inhibitor. Western blot analysis showed that SB431542, an ALK 5 inhibitor, reduced fibronectin and α-SMA expression. Moreover, a single dose of the ALK5 inhibitor SB431542 reduced IOP in mice, and the IOP-lowering effect of the ALK5 inhibitor was greater than that of a Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase inhibitor (Y-27632). Repeated dosing with ALK5 inhibitor eye drops (once daily) enhanced the murine IOP-lowering effect. Furthermore, ALK5 inhibition decreased the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) mRNA and suppressed ECM production. These findings suggest that ALK5 inhibitors may contribute to the development of new treatments for glaucoma that target the TM.

Topics: Animals; Aqueous Humor; Fibronectins; Glaucoma; Intraocular Pressure; Mice; Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Trabecular Meshwork

The gold standard for managing postoperative ocular fibrosis in glaucoma surgery is the chemotherapeutic mitomycin C (MMC) despite its association with significant adverse effects. This study compares in vitro the antifibrotic efficacy and cytotoxicity of the small-molecule TGFβ1 inhibitor SB-431542 (SB) to MMC.. To measure collagen contraction, human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTCFs) embedded in a three-dimensional collagen lattice were exposed to 0.2 mg/mL MMC or 20 µM SB followed by incubation with 2 ng/mL TGFβ1. Total protein extracted from experimentally treated HTCFs underwent immunoblotting for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), and EDA splice-variant fibronectin (EDA-FN) expression. Cytotoxicity and cell metabolism were assessed using LIVE/DEAD staining, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, and methylthiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay.. Collagen lattice contraction in TGFβ1-induced HTCFs was significantly lowered by SB and MMC. Pretreatment with SB and MMC significantly lowered protein expression of α-SMA, MMP-9, and EDA-FN in HTCFs relative to TGFβ1 alone. HTCF viability in collagen lattices was significantly reduced with MMC pretreatment but not SB pretreatment. MMC-pretreated HTCFs had a significant increase in LDH release after 3 hours and a decrease in MTT activity after 20 minutes, while SB-pretreated HTCFs showed no significant changes via MTT or LDH assay during the same treatment period.. SB shows comparable efficacy to MMC in reducing expression of fibrosis-promoting proteins in HTCFs and in vitro scarring activity. SB distinguishes itself from MMC by exhibiting less cytotoxicity in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional in vitro assays.. This study demonstrates in vitro the potential of SB as a safer alternative ocular antifibrotic agent.

Topics: Cicatrix; Collagen; Fibroblasts; Glaucoma; Humans; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9; Mitomycin; Tenon Capsule

To explore the inhibitive effect of SB-431542 (an ALK5 inhibitor) on scar formation after glaucoma surgery and to identify the potential pharmacologic target(s).. Twenty-four New Zealand rabbits underwent filtration surgery on the right eye and were divided into a control group and three experimental groups (n=6). Human Tenon's fibroblast monolayer was scraped to generate a single gap, and then the control medium with SB-431542 only or containing 10 microg/L TGF-beta1 and SB-431542 (1-20 microM) was added. The cells were pretreated with SB-431542 or in control medium for 30 minutes before induction with 10 microg/L TGF-beta1 or 1 microg/L TGF-beta2. The expression of alpha-SM-actin, CTGF, and Col I, as well as changes in the Smad, ERK, P38, and AKT signaling pathways were detected.. In comparison with the control rabbits, the IOPs in the experimental groups remained at lower levels until day 25 (P<0.05) after the surgery. Histologic profiles showed that there was only a mild deposition of collagen in the subconjunctival space in the experimental groups. The cell growth and migration were inhibited effectively by SB-431542, regardless of whether TGF-beta was present in the culture system. SB-431542 abrogated TGF-beta-induced upregulation of alpha-SM-actin, CTGF, and Col I. It effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad2 stimulated by TGF-beta but not that of the components of the MAPK pathways.. SB-431542 inhibits scar formation after glaucoma filtration surgery. The mechanism may be that SB-431542 interferes in the phosphorylation of Smad2, thus abrogating TGF-beta-induced fibroblast transdifferentiation and then decreasing Col I synthesis.

Topics: Actins; Animals; Benzamides; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Differentiation; Cicatrix; Collagen Type I; Conjunctival Diseases; Connective Tissue Cells; Connective Tissue Growth Factor; Dioxoles; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Therapy, Combination; Fibroblasts; Filtering Surgery; Glaucoma; Humans; Injections; Intraocular Pressure; Phosphorylation; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Rabbits; Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger; Smad2 Protein; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Transforming Growth Factor beta2; Wound Healing