Binding of betaxolol, metoprolol and oligonucleotides to synthetic and bovine ocular melanin, and prediction of drug binding to melanin in human choroid-retinal pigment epithelium.

PURPOSE: To characterize the binding of betaxolol, metoprolol and oligonucleotides to synthetic and bovine ocular melanin, and to predict the binding to melanin in human choroid-retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The shape, size and specific surface area of synthetic melanin and isolated melanin granules from bovine choroid-retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) were characterized by SEM, laser diffractometry and BET. The binding of betaxolol, metoprolol, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled phosphodiesther oligonucleotides and 6-carboxyfluorescein (6-CF) to melanin was determined. The binding of beta-blockers to melanin in human choroid-RPE was estimated based on binding parameters and the melanin content in human choroid-RPE.
RESULTS: Bovine melanin granules were round or oval with a mean diameter of ca. 1 mum. Synthetic granules were slightly smaller and irregular and had a two times higher specific surface area than bovine melanin. Synthetic melanin bound more betaxolol and metoprolol than bovine melanin and both melanin types showed a high affinity and a low affinity binding sites. The human choroid-RPE was predicted to contain 3-19 times more melanin bound drug than unbound drug at typical therapeutic concentrations (1-1,000 ng/ml). FITC-labeled oligonucleotides and 6-CF did not bind to melanin.
CONCLUSIONS: The binding of lipophilic drugs to biological melanin differs from that of synthetic melanin. Lipophilic beta-blockers are expected to bind significantly to melanin in human choroid-RPE: only a small fraction of the drug being in active free form. In contrast, phosphodiesther oligonucleotides do not seem to bind to melanin.