Protective agent for retinal neuronal cell containing prostaglandin f2alpha derivative as active ingredient

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to find a new pharmaceutical application of a prostaglandin F2α derivative. It was found that the prostaglandin F2α derivative inhibits glutamate-induced retinal neuronal cell death in a concentration-dependent manner in rat fetal retinal neuronal cells, in other words, the prostaglandin F2α derivative acts directly on the retinal neuronal cells and exhibits a protective effect. Accordingly, the prostaglandin F2α derivative is useful for the prevention or treatment of an eye disease associated with retinal neuronal cell damage.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to a protective agent for a retinal neuronal cell containing a prostaglandin F2α derivative as an active ingredient.BACKGROUND ART[0002]The retina is a tissue with a thickness of from 0.1 to 0.5 mm consisting of ten layers of inner limiting membrane, nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, outer nuclear layer, outer limiting membrane, photoreceptor cell layer and retinal pigment epithelium layer, and retinal neuronal cell groups including photoreceptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells, horizontal cells, amacrine cells and Muller cells are present therein.[0003]The retinal neuronal cells play an important role in the reception and transmission of visual information such as converting light stimulation into an electrical signal and transmitting the signal to the brain.[0004]To specifically describe the mechanism of such transmission, the visual information from the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0047]As will be described in detail in the section of Pharmacological Test below, an effect of a prostaglandin F2α derivative on glutamate-induced retinal neuronal cell death was examined using rat fetal retinal neuronal cells. As a result, the prostaglandin F2α derivative inhibited the glutamate-induced retinal neuronal cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. That is, the prostaglandin F2α derivative has an action of protecting a retinal neuronal cell, and is useful for the prevention or treatment of an eye disease associated with retinal neuronal cell damage.

Problems solved by technology

On the other hand, when these retinal neuronal cells are damaged due to various causes, the homeostasis (a function to supply oxygen or nutrition to retinal neuronal cells through retinal blood circulation, and the like) of retinal neuronal cells cannot be maintained, and the transmission of visual information to the brain is inhibited.

However, any of these documents does not describe an effect of a fluorine-containing prostaglandin F2α derivative on protecting a retinal neuronal cell at all.

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