Muscarinic receptor agonists protect cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells against apoptosis induced by dexamethasone.
OBJECTIVE
To study whether muscarinic receptor agonists can protect cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells against apoptosis induced by dexamethasone.


METHODS
The third to fifth passages of bovine trabecular meshwork cells were grown to confluence and incubated for 1-14 days in growth media with dexamethasone or pretreatment of pilocarpine or carbachol. The cultures were evaluated for apoptosis by phase-contrast microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, DNA laddering and flow cytometric analysis.


RESULTS
Dexamethasone (0.24-0.96 mmol.L-1) induced apoptosis of trabecular meshwork cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Before 0.48 mmol.L-1 dexamethasone-treatment, 1.84 mmol.L-1 of pilocarpine or 2.74 mmol.L-1 of carbachol added could significantly reduce apoptotic percentage.


CONCLUSIONS
Muscarinic receptor agonists can protect cultured bovine trabecular meshwork cells against apoptosis induced by dexamethasone.
Gu
Yajuan
Y
Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan Medical College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510089, China.
Zeng
Shujun
S
Qiu
PengXin
P
Wu
Yuping
Y
Peng
Dawei
D
Yan
Guangmei
G
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018721:Muscarinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000166:cytology*
D018721:Muscarinic Agonists; D010862:Pilocarpine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D002217:Carbachol