Roles of Prostaglandins and Hydrogen Sulfide in an Outflow Model of the Porcine Ocular Anterior Segment Ex Vivo.

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)-releasing compounds can reduce intraocular pressure in normotensive rabbits by increasing aqueous humor (AH) outflow through the trabecular meshwork. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of endogenous H₂S and the role of intramurally generated prostaglandins in the observed increase in AH outflow facility in an ex vivo porcine ocular anterior segment model. Material and Methods: Porcine ocular anterior segment explants were perfused with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium maintained at 37 °C and gassed with 5% CO₂ and 95% air under an elevated pressure of 15 mmHg for four hours. Perfusates from the anterior segment explants were collected and immediately assayed for their H₂S and prostaglandin E₂ content. Results: Elevating perfusion pressure from 7.35 to 15 mm Hg significantly (p < 0.001) increased H₂S concentration in the perfusate from 0.4 ± 0.1 to 67.6 ± 3.6 nM/µg protein. In the presence of an inhibitor of cystathionine ß-synthase/cystathionine γ-lyase, aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA, 30 µM), or an inhibitor of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, α-ketobutyric acid (KBA, 1 mM), the effects of elevated pressure on H₂S levels in the perfusate was significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, flurbiprofen (30 µM) and indomethacin (10 µM) attenuated the elevated pressure-induced increase in H₂S levels in the perfusate. Interestingly, elevating perfusion pressure had no significant effect on PGE₂ concentrations in the perfusate. While the inhibition of H₂S biosynthesis by AOAA or KBA did not affect PGE₂ levels in perfusate, flurbiprofen (30 µM) caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the concentration of PGE₂ under conditions of elevated perfusion pressure. Conclusions: We conclude that the elevated perfusion pressure-induced increase in H₂S concentrations depends upon the endogenous biosynthesis of H₂S and intramurally produced prostaglandins in the porcine anterior segment explants. While the concentration of PGE₂ in the perfusate under elevated perfusion pressure was unaffected by pretreatment with inhibitors of H₂S biosynthesis, it was reduced in the presence of an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]