Comparative effects of topical ocular anti-allergy drugs on human conjunctival mast cells

Background: The concept of mast cell heterogeneity is well established. Recent data indicate that human conjunctival tissue mast cells and human connective tissue mast cells respond to various secretagogues in similar fashion. It is now recognized that different mast cell populations respond differently to anti-allergic drugs.

Objective: The purpose of the study is to compare the effects of three new ocular anti-allergic drugs (nedocromil, olopatadine, and pemirolast) on mediator release from the target human conjunctival mast cell population with those of cromolyn sodium. The affinity of the compounds for the histamine H1 receptor was also compared.

Methods: A monodispersed suspension of partially purified human conjunctival mast cells was prepared from cadaver conjunctival tissue. Mast cells (5 x 10(3)) were challenged with anti-human IgE in the presence or absence of test drugs, and histamine content of the cell supernatants was determined using a specific radioimmunoassay. H1 receptor binding activity was assessed using a radioligand binding assay.

Results: Cromolyn and pemirolast (100 nM to 1 mM) failed to significantly inhibit histamine release from human conjunctival mast cells using exposure times of 1 and 15 minutes prior to challenge. Using identical nedocromil concentrations and exposure times, statistically significant (P < .05) inhibition (28%) of histamine release was observed at only the 100 microM concentration and 1-minute exposure time. In contrast, olopatadine inhibited histamine release in a concentration-dependent fashion (r = 0.891, n = 59, IC50 = 653 microM). Only olopatadine exhibited significant H1 receptor binding activity at relevant concentrations (Ki = 36 nM, n = 13).

Conclusions: These data indicate that olopatadine possesses anti-allergic activity in the appropriate targets for topical ocular anti-allergic drug therapy, human conjunctival mast cells. Coupled with the compound's antihistaminic activity, this suggests that olopatadine will have efficacy advantages in allergic conjunctivitis patients over the other drugs tested.