glanatec and Retinal-Diseases

Ripasudil (K-115) is a novel Rho kinase inhibitor with a potent intraocular pressure-lowering effect. However, it is unclear whether ripasudil affects the retinal blood flow (RBF). We investigated the effect of ripasudil on feline retinal microcirculation. Ripasudil (5 μM, 50 μM or 5 mM; n = 5 each concentration) or vehicle (PBS; n = 5) was injected intravitreally. The vessel diameter (D) and blood velocity (V) were measured by laser Doppler velocimetry simultaneously in the first-order retinal arterioles and the RBF was calculated. The measurements started 5 min before the injection and were performed every 10 min for 120 min. After the intravitreal injection, the retinal circulatory parameters did not change significantly in PBS or 5 μM of ripasudil. The blood V and RBF increased significantly compared to baseline, whereas the vessel D did not change significantly in 50 μM and 5 mM of ripasudil. The V in 50 μM, and the V and RBF in 5 mM of ripasudil significantly increased compared to those in PBS. Intravitreal administration of ripasudil increased the blood V and RBF in cats, suggesting that ripasudil has the potential to improve the retinal blood flow.

Topics: Animals; Cats; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Intravitreal Injections; Isoquinolines; Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; Male; Microcirculation; Regional Blood Flow; Retinal Diseases; Retinal Vessels; rho-Associated Kinases; Sulfonamides