ArticleCornea2017
Influence of Pilocarpine and Timolol on Human Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cells.
Article in Cornea, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of first-line topical medications for the treatment of glaucoma on the ocular surface in a Latin American population.International ophthalmology · 2026Observational
- Efficacy of hyaluronic acid and butyroyl glutathione in the management of glaucoma-related ocular surface disease: a prospective, interventional, double-blind, cross-over post market study.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- Analysis of risk factors associated with meibomian gland orifice obstruction severity in glaucoma patients: a clinical investigation.BMC ophthalmology · 2025Article
- Applications of Diquafosol Sodium in Ophthalmology: A Comprehensive Review of Therapeutic Utility.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Managing Ocular Surface Disease in Glaucoma Treatment: A Systematic Review.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Characteristics of tear meniscus using a spectral domain optical coherence tomography in medically controlled glaucoma.Indian journal of ophthalmology · 2023Observational
- Ocular surface disease: a known yet overlooked side effect of topical glaucoma therapy.Frontiers in toxicology · 2023Review
- A Narrative Review of Ocular Surface Disease Related to Anti-Glaucomatous Medications.Ophthalmology and therapy · 2022Review
- Activation of ADRB2/PKA Signaling Pathway Facilitates Lipid Synthesis in Meibocytes, and Beta-Blocker Glaucoma Drug Impedes PKA-Induced Lipid Synthesis by Inhibiting ADRB2.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Dry eye disease among Glaucoma patients on topical hypotensive medications, in a tertiary hospital, Ethiopia.BMC ophthalmology · 2021Article
- Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Regulates the Proliferation and Differentiation of Rat Meibomian Gland Epithelial Cells.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2021Article
- The impact of topical intraocular pressure lowering medications on the ocular surface of glaucoma patients: A review.Journal of current ophthalmology · 2019Review
- Effect of brimonidine, an α2 adrenergic agonist, on human meibomian gland epithelial cells.Experimental eye research · 2018Article
- Reduction in Ocular Hypotensive Eyedrops by Ab Interno Trabeculotomy Improves Not Only Ocular Surface Condition But Also Quality of Vision.Journal of ophthalmology · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeInvestigators have discovered that topical antiglaucoma drugs may induce meibomian gland dysfunction. This response may contribute to the dry eye disease commonly found in patients with glaucoma taking such medications. We hypothesize that drug action involves a direct effect on human meibomian gland epithelial cells (HMGECs). To test this hypothesis, we examined the influence of the antiglaucoma drugs, pilocarpine and timolol, on the morphology, survival, proliferation, and differentiation of HMGECs.
methodsImmortalized (I) HMGECs (n = 2-3 wells/treatment/experiment) were cultured with multiple concentrations of pilocarpine or timolol for up to 7 days. Experiments included positive controls for proliferation (epidermal growth factor and bovine pituitary extract) and differentiation (azithromycin). Cells were enumerated using a hemocytometer and evaluated for morphology, neutral lipid staining, and lysosome accumulation.
resultsOur results demonstrate that pilocarpine and timolol cause a dose-dependent decrease in the survival of IHMGECs. The clinically used concentrations are toxic and lead to cell atrophy, poor adherence, or death. By contrast, drug levels that are known to accumulate within the conjunctiva, adjacent to the meibomian glands, do not influence IHMGEC survival. These latter concentrations also have no effect on IHMGEC proliferation or differentiation, and they do not interfere with the ability of azithromycin to stimulate cellular neutral lipid and lysosome accumulation. This dose of pilocarpine, though, did suppress the epidermal growth factor+bovine pituitary extract-induced proliferation of IHMGECs.
conclusionsOur results support our hypothesis and demonstrate that these antiglaucoma drugs, pilocarpine and timolol, have direct effects on HMGECs that may influence their morphology, survival, and proliferative capacity.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.