These studies demonstrated that OMDI is hydrolyzed in the eye to OMD, an EP2 receptor agonist, with a significant ocular hypotensive effect in both ocular normotensive and hypertensive animal models.

EP2 receptor agonists are expected to be effective ocular hypotensive agents; however, it has been suggested that agonism to other EP receptor subtypes may lead to undesirable effects. Through medicinal chemistry efforts, we identified a scaffold bearing a (pyridin-2-ylamino)acetic acid moiety as a promising EP2-selective receptor agonist. (6-((4-(Pyrazol-1-yl)benzyl)(pyridin-3-ylsulfonyl)aminomethyl)pyridin-2-ylamino)acetic acid 13ax (omidenepag, OMD) exerted potent and selective activity toward the human EP2 receptor (h-EP2). Low doses of omidenepag isopropyl (OMDI), a prodrug of 13ax, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in ocular normotensive monkeys. OMDI was selected as a clinical candidate for the treatment of glaucoma.

1 The mPer1 and mPer2 genes are putative mouse clock genes that regulate circadian oscillator present in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neuron. While they are also expressed in the granular cell layer in the cerebellum, their function is unknown. In a ®rst step to verify the physiological roles of mPer1 and mPer2 genes in the cerebellum, we examined the e ects of benzodiazepines on the expression of the mPer1 and mPer2 genes. 2 mPer2 mRNA expression was higher at ZT16 than ZT4 in the mouse cerebellum. 3 High-dose administration of diazepam (10 mg kg 71 ) or triazolam (1 mg kg 71 ) reduced mPer1 mRNA level 1 h after treatment in the cerebellum. 4 Reduced expression of mPer1 by diazepam treatment was transient. No di erence of mPer1 mRNA level between diazepam (10 mg kg 71 )-and vehicle-treated group was observed 6 h after treatment. 5 Administration of high doses of tandospirone (30 mg kg 71 ), a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic also reduced mPer1 mRNA expression 1 h after treatment. 6 Administration of high doses of clozapine (5 mg kg 71 ) or haloperidol (1 mg kg 71 ) impaired the rota-rod performance without a ecting on mPer1 mRNA level. 7 Diazepam and tandospirone inhibited the expression of mPer1 mRNA in the primary cultured cerebellum granule cells. 8 Transient reductions of mPer1 mRNA levels by various benzodiazepines and tandospirone is associated with impairment of coordinated movement, such as rota-rod performance and equilibrium.

Citation: Tsutsumi T, Iwao K, Hayashi H, et al. Potential neuroprotective effects of an LSD1 inhibitor in retinal ganglion cells via p38 MAPK activity. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016;57:6461-6473. DOI:10.1167/ iovs.16-19494 PURPOSE. The epigenetic mechanisms associated with ocular neurodegenerative diseases remain unclear. The present study aimed to determine the role of lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), which represses transcription by removing the methyl group from methylated lysine 4 of histone H3, in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival, and to investigate the details of the neuroprotective mechanism of tranylcypromine, a major LSD1 inhibitor. METHODS.The authors evaluated whether tranylcypromine contributes to neuronal survival following stress-induced damage using primary cultured rat RGCs and in vivo N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity. Additionally, the molecules associated with tranylcypromine treatment were assessed by microarray and immunoblot analysis. RESULTS.Tranylcypromine significantly suppressed neuronal cell death following glutamate neurotoxicity and oxidative stress. Microarray and immunoblot analyses revealed that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)c was a key molecule involved in the neuroprotective mechanisms induced by tranylcypromine because the significant suppression of p38 MAPKc by glutamate was reversed by tranylcypromine. Moreover, although pharmacologic inhibition of the phosphorylation of the total p38 MAPKs interfered with neuroprotective effects of tranylcypromine, the specific inhibition of p38 MAPKa and p38 MAPKb did not influence RGC survival. This suggests that the non-p38 MAPKa/b isoforms have important roles in neuronal survival by tranylcypromine. Additionally, the intravitreal administration of tranylcypromine significantly saved RGC numbers in an in vivo glaucoma model employing NMDA-induced excitotoxicity.CONCLUSIONS. These findings indicate that tranylcypromine-induced transcriptional and epigenetic regulation modulated RGC survival via the promotion of p38 MAPKc activity. Therefore, pharmacologic treatments that suppress LSD1 activity may be a novel therapeutic strategy that can be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

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