Topical norepinephrine, isoproterenol, terbutaline, forskolin and 8-bromo cyclic AMP increase lens equatorial current.

The equatorial current of the frog lens was studied with microelectrodes and a vibrating probe. Norepinephrine, isoproterenol and terbutaline applied topically at the surface of the cornea as a 1% solution increased the equatorial current of the lens about 80%. This increase was blocked by timolol. Topical forskolin increased the equatorial current by over 80%. This effect of forskolin was not blocked by timolol. These substances did not affect the equatorial current of the lens when the lens was suspended in a frog Ringers solution. 8-Bromo cyclic AMP increased the equatorial current when it was applied topically but not when it was added directly to the medium bathing an isolated lens. The results suggest that beta-adrenergic agonists, applied topically to the cornea, increase the equatorial current of the lens by a mechanism that is mediated by cyclic AMP. The finding that 8-bromo cyclic AMP did not act directly on the lens suggests that a currently unknown substance or process is active at the level of the lens.