AUTHOR=Lawrence Emily C. N. , Guo Michelle , Schwartz Turner D. , Wu Jie , Lu Jingwen , Nikonov Sergei , Sterling Jacob K. , Cui Qi N. TITLE=Topical and systemic GLP-1R agonist administration both rescue retinal ganglion cells in hypertensive glaucoma JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience VOLUME=17 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncel.2023.1156829 DOI=10.3389/fncel.2023.1156829 ISSN=1662-5102 ABSTRACT=

Glaucomatous neurodegeneration, a blinding disease affecting millions worldwide, has a need for the exploration of new and effective therapies. Previously, the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist NLY01 was shown to reduce microglia/macrophage activation, rescuing retinal ganglion cells after IOP elevation in an animal model of glaucoma. GLP-1R agonist use is also associated with a reduced risk for glaucoma in patients with diabetes. In this study, we demonstrate that several commercially available GLP-1R agonists, administered either systemically or topically, hold protective potential in a mouse model of hypertensive glaucoma. Further, the resulting neuroprotection likely occurs through the same pathways previously shown for NLY01. This work contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that GLP-1R agonists represent a viable therapeutic option for glaucoma.