Abstract
Purpose :
Ripasudil (K-115), a Rho kinase inhibitor, has an intraocular pressure-lowering effect. In our previous study, we found that administration of intravitreal ripasudil increased the retinal blood flow in cats. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of ripasudil on the retinal microcirculation is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the direct effect of ripasudil on the retinal arterioles in pigs and the mechanism underlying the ripasudil-mediated effect.
Methods :
The porcine retinal arterioles were isolated, cannulated, and pressurized at 55 cm H2O without flow for the in vitro study. Diameter changes were recorded using videomicroscopic techniques.
Results :
Ripasudil elicited dilation of the isolated retinal arterioles in a dose-dependent (100 pM-30 µM) manner within 3 minutes. Pretreatment with NG-nitro-L- arginine methyl ester and denudation did not inhibit the effect of ripasudil on the retinal arterioles.
Conclusions :
Ripasudil elicits endothelium-independent vasodilation of the retinal arterioles.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.