Evaluation of cationic drug transport system at the blood-retinal barrier to deliver the drugs to the retina

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293036
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Medical pharmacy
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Hosoya Ken-ichi 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(薬学), 教授 (70301033)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): AKANUMA Shin-ichi 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(薬学), 助教 (30467089)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KUBO Yoshiyuki 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(薬学), 准教授 (20377427) ; MATSUYA Yuji 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(薬学), 教授 (50255858) ; TAKASHIMA Tadayuki 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 分子プローブ動態応用研究チーム, 研究員 (80469907)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 薬学 / 血液網膜関門 / 有機カチオン輸送体 / 内側血液網膜関門 / トランスポーター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we try to evaluate the transport mechanisms of cationic drugs at the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) to deliver cationic drugs for the therapy of retinal diseases. Through the transport studies using the in vitro BRB model cells and in vivo rat studies with gene-knockout rats, it was clarified that blood-to-retina transport system(s) for the cationic drugs were existed at the BRB. In addition, the amount of verapamil, one of the cationic drugs, in the retina of monkeys after i.v. administration was higher than that in the brain, suggesting that the capacity of verapamil influx transport at the BRB is greater than that at the blood-brain barrier. From our results, it is considered that influx transport mechanism(s) for verapamil at the BRB could be the useful for the drug delivery to the retina in primates.

Free Research Field

医療系薬学