Method for increasing the intraocular pressure in an animal

Abstract

The present invention concerns a method for inducing an increase in the intraocular pressure in an animal, said method comprising ocular administration of a solution comprising benzalkonium chloride (BAK). The present invention further relates to an animal having ocular hypertension, said animal being obtained by the method according to the invention. Said animal provides a convenient animal model for better understanding of the patho-physiological mechanisms involved in ocular hypertension and glaucoma. The present invention also relates to the use of said animal for screening a compound for therapeutic use against ocular hypertension or glaucoma, and/or for assessing potential side-effects of treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An animal having ocular hypertension, said animal being obtained by
 ocularly administering a solution comprising benzalkonium chloride (BAK) to said animal, wherein the solution comprises a concentration of BAK greater than 0.03%.   
     
     
         8 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein the solution comprises a concentration of BAK between 0.05% and 0.5%. 
     
     
         14 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein the step of ocularly administering is done by injection. 
     
     
         15 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein the injection is performed in the subconjunctival region. 
     
     
         16 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein the step of ocularly administering induces an increase in the intraocular pressure that is sufficient to serve as a model of glaucoma. 
     
     
         17 . The animal of  claim 7 , for use for screening a compound for therapeutic use against ocular hypertension or glaucoma and/or for use for assessing potential side-effects of treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma. 
     
     
         18 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein said method comprises multiple steps of ocularly administering the solution comprising BAK. 
     
     
         19 . The animal of  claim 7 , for use for studying the mechanism of ocular hypertension or glaucoma. 
     
     
         20 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein said animal is a rodent. 
     
     
         21 . The animal of  claim 7 , wherein said animal is a rat or a mouse. 
     
     
         22 . A method for screening a compound for therapeutic use against ocular hypertension or glaucoma and/or for use for assessing potential side-effects of treatment of ocular hypertension and glaucoma comprising using the animal of claim  1 . 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  comprising the steps of
 administering a compound to be screened to at least one eye of the animal of claim  1 , 
 waiting for a certain period of time, 
 optionally repeating the administration, 
 measuring the intra-ocular pressure or the outflow facility or the level of trabecular cell apoptosis, and 
 selecting the compound if the intra-ocular pressure is higher than a predetermined threshold, or the outflow facility is lower than a predetermined threshold, or the level of trabecular cell apoptosis is higher than a predetermined threshold.