Natural prostaglandins (PGs) such as PGD2, PGE2, PGF2(2alpha), and PGI2 exhibited the highest affinity for their respective cognate receptors, but were the least selective agents when tested in receptor binding assays. Travoprost acid ([+]-fluprostenol) was the most FP-receptor-selective compound, exhibiting a high affinity (Ki = 35 +/- 5 nM) for the FP receptor, and minimal affinity for DP (Ki = 52,000 nM), EP1 (Ki = 9540 nM), EP3 (Ki = 3501 nM), EP4 (Ki = 41,000 nM), IP (Ki > 90,000 nM), and TP (Ki = 121,000 nM) receptors. Travoprost acid was the most potent PG analog tested in FP receptor functional phosphoinositide turnover assays in the following cell types: human ciliary muscle (EC50 = 1.4 nM), human trabecular meshwork (EC50 = 3.6 nM), and mouse fibroblasts and rat aortic smooth muscle cells (EC50 = 2.6 nM). Although latanoprost acid exhibited a relatively high affinity for the FP receptor (Ki = 98 nM), it had significant functional activity at FP (EC50 = 32-124 nM) and EP1 (EC50 = 119 nM) receptors. Bimatoprost acid was less selective, exhibiting a relatively high affinity for the FP (Ki = 83 nM), EP1 (Ki = 95 nM), and EP3 (Ki = 387 nM) receptors. Bimatoprost acid exhibited functional activity at the EP1 (EC50 = 2.7 nM) and FP (EC50 = 2.8-3.8 nM in most cells) receptors. Bimatoprost (nonhydrolyzed amide) also behaved as an FP agonist at the cloned human FP receptor (EC50 = 681 nM), in h-TM (EC50 = 3245 nM) and other cell types. Unoprostone and S-1033 bound with low affinity (Ki = 5.9 microM to > 22 microM) to the FP receptor, were not selective, but activated the FP receptor. In conclusion, travoprost acid has the highest affinity, the highest FP-receptor-selectivity, and the highest potency at the FP receptor as compared to the other ocular hypotensive PG analogs known so far, including free acids of latanoprost, bimatoprost, and unoprostone isopropyl ester.

The pharmacology of the h-TM cell FP-receptor-mediated PI turnover and [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization was defined using numerous synthetic (FP-selective) PG agonist analogues and an FP receptor antagonist, AL-8810. Bimatoprost, travoprost, latanoprost, unoprostone isopropyl ester, and their respective free acids were shown to be FP agonists in the h-TM cells.

We have determined the agonist activity of a number of natural prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogs at the FP prostaglandin receptor cloned from a human ciliary body cDNA library using phosphoinositide (PI) turnover assays. Travoprost acid (EC50 = 3.2 +/- 0.6 nM) was the most potent agonist in these cells followed by bimatoprost free acid (17-phenyl-trinor PGF2alpha; EC50 = 5.8 +/- 2.6 nM), fluprostenol (EC50 = 6.1 +/- 1.5 nM), and latanoprost free acid (PHXA85; EC50 = 54.6 +/- 12.4 nM) which was 17-fold weaker (p < 0.001) than travoprost acid. Unoprostone and S-1033 were significantly (p < 0.001) weaker than travoprost acid. The amide prodrug, bimatoprost (EC50 = 694 +/- 293 nM), activated this FP receptor with an intermediate potency. The isopropyl ester prodrugs, travoprost (EC50 = 42.3 +/- 6.7 nM), latanoprost (EC50 = 126 +/- 347 nM) and unoprostone isopropyl ester (EC50 = 9,100 +/- 2,870 nM), also exhibited FP agonist activity. However, other compounds such as PGI2, bradykinin, histamine, and serotonin were inactive. The agonist activities of bimatoprost, unoprostone (UF-021), fluprostenol and acids of travoprost and latanoprost were antagonized by AL-8810 (11beta-fluoro- 15-epi-15-indanyl-PGF2alpha), an FP-receptor-selective antagonist (Ki = 1.0 - 2.1 microM; n = 3). These studies have demonstrated, for the first time, agonist activities of the currently known and marketed ocular hypotensive prostaglandin analogs at the cloned human ciliary body FP prostaglandin receptor.

Phospholipase C induced phosphoinositide (PI) turnover, intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) mobilization and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation by FP-class prostaglandin analogs was studied in normal human ciliary muscle (h-CM) cells. Agonist potencies obtained in the PI turnover assays were: travoprost acid ((+)-fluprostenol; EC(50) = 2.6 +/- 0.8 nM) > bimatoprost acid (EC(50) = 3.6 +/- 1.2 nM) > (+/-)-fluprostenol (EC(50) = 4.3 +/- 1.3 nM) >> prostaglandin F(2 alpha) (PGF(2 alpha)) (EC(50) = 134 +/- 17 nM) > latanoprost acid (EC(50) = 198 +/- 83 nM) > S-1033 (EC(50) = 2930 +/- 1420 nM) > unoprostone (EC(50) = 5590 +/- 1490 nM) > bimatoprost (EC(50) = 9600 +/- 1100 nM). Agonist potencies in h-CM cells correlated well with those previously obtained for the cloned human ciliary body-derived FP receptor (r = 0.96, p< 0.001) and that present on h-TM cells (r = 0.94, p< 0.0001). Travoprost acid, PGF(2 alpha) and unoprostone also stimulated [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization in h-CM cells with travoprost acid being the most potent agonist. MAP kinase activity was stimulated in the h-CM cells with the following rank order of activity (at 100 nM): travoprost acid > PGF(2 alpha) > latanoprost acid > PGD(2) > bimatoprost > latanoprost = bimatoprost acid = fluprostenol > PGE(2) = S-1033 > unoprostone > PGI(2). The PI turnover, [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization and MAP kinase activation induced by several of these agonists was blocked by the FP receptor antagonist, AL-8810 (11 beta-fluoro-15-epiindanyl PGF(2 alpha)) (e.g. K(i) = 5.7 microM versus PI turnover). These studies have characterized the biochemical and pharmacological properties of the native FP prostaglandin receptor present on h-CM cells using three signal transduction mechanism assays and a broad panel of FP-class agonist analogs (including free acids of bimatoprost, travoprost and latanoprost) and the FP receptor antagonist, AL-8810.

The pharmacological characteristics of levobetaxolol, a single active isomer of betaxolol, were determined and compared with activities of other beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. Levobetaxolol (43-fold beta1-selective) exhibited a higher affinity at cloned human beta1 (Ki = 0.76 nM) than at beta2 (Ki = 32.6 nM) receptors, while dextrobetaxolol was much weaker at both receptors. Levobetaxolol potently antagonized functional activities at cloned human beta1 and beta2 receptors, and also at guinea pig atrial beta1, tracheal beta2 and rat colonic beta3 receptors (IC50s = 33.2 nM, 2970 nM and 709 nM, respectively). Thus, levobetaxolol was 89-times beta1-selective (vs beta2). Levobetaxolol (Ki = 16.4 nM) was more potent than dextrobetaxolol (Ki = 2.97 microM) at inhibiting isoproterenol-induced cAMP production in human non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells. Levobunolol and (l)-timolol had high affinities at beta1 and beta2 receptors but were considerably less beta1-selective than levobetaxolol. Levo-, dextro- and racemic-betaxolol exhibited little or no affinity, except at sigma sites and Ca2+-channels (IC50s > 1 microM), at 89 other receptor/ligand binding sites. Levobetaxolol exhibited a micromolar affinity for L-type Ca2+-channels. In conscious ocular hypertensive cynomolgus monkeys, levobetaxolol was more potent than dextrobetaxolol, reducing intraocular pressure by 25.9+/-3.2% at a dose of 150 microg/eye (n = 15-30). Quantitative [3H]-levobetaxolol autoradiography revealed high levels of binding to human ciliary processes, iris, choroid/retina, and ciliary muscles. In conclusion, levobetaxolol is a potent, high affinity and beta1-selective IOP-lowering beta-adrenoceptor antagonist.

1 Various prostaglandin agonists representing various classes of receptor subtypes were evaluated for their ability to stimulate adenylyl cyclase via the endogenous DP receptor in embryonic bovine tracheal (EBTr) cells. Two antagonists were used to block the agonist-induced cyclic AMP production. 2 ZK118182 (EC 50 =16+4 nM), RS-93520 (EC 50 =23+4 nM), SQ27986 (EC 50 =33+9 nM), ZK110841 (EC 50 =33+5 nM), BW245C (EC 50 =59+19 nM) and PGD 2 (EC 50 =101+10 nM) (n=4 ± 70) were the most potent agonists. Whilst most compounds were full agonists (E max =100% relative to PGD 2 ), BW245C was signi®cantly more e cacious than PGD 2 (E max =121+3%; P50.001) and RS-93520 appeared to be a partial agonist (E max =64+9%; P50.001).3 Agonists from the EP (e.g. enprostil; misoprostol; butaprost), FP (e.g. cloprostenol;¯uprostenol; PHXA85), IP (iloprost; PGI 2 ) and TP (U46619) prostanoid receptor classes were weak agonists or inactive in the EBTr cell assay system. 4 The DP-receptor antagonist, BWA868C, showed a competitive antagonist pro®le with pA 2 values of 8.00+0.02 and 8.14+0.13 in Schild analyses with two structurally di erent agonists, BW245C and ZK118182, respectively (n=3). AH6809, another purported DP-receptor antagonist, weakly inhibited PGD 2 -and ZK118182-induced cyclic AMP production (K i s=808+193 nM and 782+178 nM, respectively). 5 The current studies have characterized the DP receptor positively coupled to adenylyl cyclase in EBTr cells using a wide range of agonist and antagonist prostaglandins. These data support the utility of the EBTr cell line as a useful tool for the evaluation of DP receptor agonists and antagonists and for pro®ling other classes of prostaglandins. Keywords: Prostaglandin; DP receptor; EBTr cells; BW245C; BWA868C; AH6809; ZK118182; RS93520; cyclic AMP; adenylyl cyclaseAbbreviations: EC 50 , concentration of agonist required to produce 50% of the maximal response (potency); E max , per cent of the maximal response (intrinsic activity; e cacy); IC 50 , concentration of inhibitor required to produce 50% of the maximal inhibition; K i , concentration of inhibitor required to produce 50% of the maximal inhibition at equilibrium; pA 2 , equilibrium dissociation constant of the antagonist; RIA, radioimmunoassay

These collective data support the presence of a pharmacologically defined, adenylyl cyclase-coupled 5-HT7 receptor in the CEPI-17-CL4 cells that may have relevance to physiological and/or pathologic functions of 5-HT7 receptors in the human cornea.

The aim of this study was to pharmacologically characterize the antagonist properties of a novel prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) analogue (11-deoxy-16-fluoro PGF2alpha; AL-3138) using a variety of second-messenger assays of prostaglandin receptor subtypes. A detailed comparison was made between AL-3138 and some purported FP receptor antagonists such as PGF2alpha dimethylamine, PGF2alpha dimethylamide, glibenclamide and phloretin using the FP receptor-mediated phosphoinositide turnover assay in A7r5 rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle cells and mouse Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. The potency and efficacy of AL-3138 as an FP receptor agonist were: EC50 = 72.2 +/- 17.9 nM (Emax = 37%) (n = 3) in A7r5 cells and EC50 = 20.5 +/- 2.8 nM (Emax = 33%) (n = 5) in 3T3 cells. Being a partial agonist, the antagonist potency of AL-3138 against fluprostenol in A7r5 cells was determined to be: Ki = 296 +/- 17 nM (n = 3) and Kb = 182 +/- 44 nM (n = 5) (-log Kb = 6.79 +/- 0.1). AL-3138 exhibited very minimal or no antagonistic effects at EP2, EP4, DP and TP prostaglandin receptors. Both PGF2alpha dimethylamide and PGF2alpha dimethylamine were inactive as FP receptor antagonists, whereas phloretin and glibenclamide were very weak and had -log Kb values of 5.28 +/- 0.09 (n = 3) and 3.58 +/- 0.32 (n = 3), respectively. However, phloretin antagonized functional responses of EP2 and DP prostanoid receptors, and also the V1-vasopressin receptor. AL-3138 competed for [3H]PGF2alpha binding to FP receptors with a relatively high affinity (IC50high = 312 +/- 95 nM) matching its functional antagonist potency. In conclusion, AL-3138 is a more potent and selective FP receptor antagonist than glibenclamide, phloretin, PGF2alpha dimethylamide and PGF2alpha dimethylamine and is therefore a unique and novel pharmacological tool to help characterize FP receptor-mediated functions.