The antidiabetic drug glibenclamide exerts direct retinal neuroprotection

Sulfonylureas, widely used as hypoglycemic agents in adults with type 2 diabetes, have neuroprotective effects preclinical models of central nervous system injury, and children neuropsychomotor impairments linked to neonatal diabetes secondary ATP-sensitive potassium channel mutations. In the human rodent retina, we show that glibenclamide-activated sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1) is expressed retina enriched macula; also it colocalizes Kir6.2, cation transporter TRPM4. Glibenclamide (glyburide), administered at doses did not decrease glycemia, or injected directly into eye, protected structure function various retinal injury recapitulate pathogenic neurodegenerative events diabetic retina. The downregulation SUR1 using a siRNA suppressed glibenclamide on excitotoxic stress-induced cell death. include transcriptional regulation antioxidant genes. Ocular could be repurposed for retinopathy.