title: Effects of betaxolol/timolol on epinephrine stimulated cyclic-AMP levels in human trabecular meshwork cells.
abstract: The effects of timolol and betaxolol were compared for blocking beta agonist stimulation of cyclic-AMP in cultured human trabecular meshwork cells. Epinephrine (10(-5) M) produced a large and rapid increase in HTM cyclic-AMP; timolol (10(-6) M), at concentrations readily achieved in the aqueous humor after 0.5% eyedrops, completely blocked this effect. Recovery from timolol treatment appeared to be relatively slow, with only a 30-40% recovery observed by 9 hours. In comparison, betaxolol (10(-6) M) produced a smaller blockade of the epinephrine effects; a rapid recovery from the betaxolol effects was observed, with a greater than half-maximal response to epinephrine observed 15 minutes after removal of this beta blocker. These findings may help to explain the clinical observations of an outflow facility effect of epinephrine when used in combination protocols with betaxolol, but not with timolol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Polansky
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fauss
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvarado
mesh_terms: D015784:Betaxolol; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D013999:Timolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011412:Propanolamines; D013999:Timolol; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D015784:Betaxolol; D004837:Epinephrine