Quantitative determination of endogenous corticosteroids in the rabbit plasma and aqueous humor

Cortisol Levels in Human Aqueous Humour and Blood Plasma

“…The levels of cortisol in aqueous humour were only in one case higher than one half of those in plasma. The lower concentration of corticosteroid in aqueous humour than that of hormone circulating in plasma is in accordance with the findings in experiments with rabbits [2].…”

“…We used the competitive protein-binding technique for the measurement of the levels in the primary and secondary aqueous of the rabbit eye [2] and in another study we have identified corticosterone in the rabbit aqueous by means of chromatography, acetylation with (14C)-acetic anhydride and crystallization to constant specific activity [5]. Both (UC)-corticosterone and ("C)-cortisol are actively metabolized by most tissues of the rabbit eye [I].…”

Inhibition of glucocorticoid-induced changes of Na+, K+-ATPase in rat lens by a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU486

“…Glucocorticoids have also been demonstrated in the aqueous humor [18,19]. Importantly, recent studies have provided evidence suggesting that rat and human lens epithelial cells contain the classic active GR, which verified a direct and specific mechanism of action [20-22], although this conclusion may not be valid in other species [16].…”

Effect of ACTH on the Composition of the Aqueous Humour of the Rabbit Eye

“…Higher levels of glucocorticoids under cer tain conditions may act as a cocataractogenic factor [Bettman et al, 1968;Cremer-Bartels et al, 1969], induce ocular hypertension [Akingbehin, 1981;Becker, 1965;Schwartz and Seddon, 1981] or even provoke steroid glaucoma either by the stabilization of lysosomal membranes of the trabecular meshwork resulting in a decrease of aqueous humour outflow from the anterior chamber [François, 1975[François, , 1978 or by inhibition of phagocytosis of the trabecu lar endothelial cells cleaning continuously the debris entering this filter; supersensitiv ity of these cells to endogenous glucocor ticoids thus might be a basis for open-angle glaucoma [Bill, 1975]. Corticosteroid con centration increases in the aqueous humour after acid burns [Obenberger et al, 1983] and is higher in secondary aqueous humour in comparison with the primary ocular fluid [Obenberger et al, 1971].…”