Abstract
Purpose:
Agmatine, a primary polyamine and putative neuromodulater, is known to have neuroprotective effects on various neuronal damages in the central nervous system. In this investigation, it was assessed whether agmatine effectively lowers the intraocular pressure (IOP) and rescues the injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a wide range of experimental models..
Methods:
Agmatine, a primary polyamine and putative neuromodulater, is known to have neuroprotective effects on various neuronal damages in the central nervous system. In this investigation, it was assessed whether agmatine effectively lowers the intraocular pressure (IOP) and rescues the injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a wide range of experimental models.
Results:
In a chronic ocular hypertensive rat model, IOP was significantly increased (about a 50% increase over the baseline IOP) and well maintained until 12 weeks. Topically administered agmatine powerfully lowered IOP to approximately 30% of its pretreatment level. EVC caused about 55% loss of RGCs in the control group, but agmatine appeared to attenuate this RGC loss to around 20%. Meanwhile, in a transient ocular ischemic mouse model, MCAO induced apoptosis to mostly the whole cells in the entire retinal layer, but topically/systemically administered agmatine significantly reduced the proportion of apoptotic cells.
Conclusions:
Agmatine appeared to effectively lower IOP and rescue RGCs in a chronic ocular hypertensive rat model and decreased retinal damage in a transient ocular ischemic mouse model. Although the precise mechanisms underlying these effects have not been well established yet, it is possible that agmatine offers a powerful new ocular hypotensive and neuroprotective agent for patients suffering from glaucoma.
Keywords: 531 ganglion cells •
568 intraocular pressure •
615 neuroprotection