Compared to subconjunctival and suprachoroidal injections. At 10 and 30 minutes, vitreous levels were significantly higher (p,0.05) after suprachoroidal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection. At 2, 30, and 60 minutes, anterior chamber levels were significantly higher (p,0.05) after suprachoroidal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection. Anterior chamber concentrations were significantly higher (p,0.05) after intravitreal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection at 2, 10, 30, and, 60 minutes.injection with intravitreal and posterior subconjunctival injections using noninvasive ocular fluorophotometry. We demonstrated that 1) sodium fluorescein levels can be monitored noninvasively in different ocular tissues after suprachoroidal, posterior subconjunctival, and intravitreal injections in rats using ocular fluorophotometry; 2) the suprachoroidal route is the most effective method for attaining high concentrations of sodium fluorescein in the choroid-retina region; and 3) the rate and extent of delivery to the choroid-retina is highest with suprachoroidal injection.Possible Reasons for Autofluorescence and Broad vs. Sharp NaF Peaks in Different RegionsBaseline Fluorotron scans showed very minimal autofluorescence peaks in the choroid-retina, lens, and cornea regions (Figure 2A). A very low autofluorescence was also observed in the anterior chamber. Possible reasons for autofluorescence from these tissues are the presence of fluorescent nucleotides and lipid metabolites [27?9]. Autofluoresence in the choroid-retina region of rats is attributed to the presence of lipofuscin granules [27,30] in the retinal pigment epithelial cells and elastin layer in the bruch’s membrane [28]. Autofluoresence in the lens can be due to the presence of flavoproteins such as FMN in the lens epithelium [31]. Rat corneal autofluorescence is caused by pyridine nucleotides such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) [32] and flavin nucleotides such as 
flavin mononucleotide (FMN) [33] in metabolically active cells such as the corneal epithelium and endothelium [29]. Baseline autofluorescence and peak assignments are shown in Figure 2A. Using fluorophotometry, we compared NaF levels in the eye after suprachoroidal, subconjunctival, and intravitreal injections. The signals observed were much higher than the background fluorescence and each route resulted in peak signals at a distinct location, corresponding to the site of injection. SuprachoroidalDiscussionThis is the first study to demonstrate suprachoroidal injection in a rat model and compare the pharmacokinetics of suprachoroidalSuprachoroidal Drug DeliveryFigure 6. Pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax and AUC 0?60 min) estimated for sodium fluorescein after injection by suprachoroidal, intravitreal, and posterior subconjunctival routes in Sprague Dawley rats. Parameters for the three routes of administration were estimated using non-compartmental analysis using WinNonlin (version 1.5, Pharsight Inc.,CA). Cmax is the maximum observed drug 76932-56-4 concentration and AUC 0?60 min is the area under the curve in a given tissue. Data are expressed as mean 6 SD for n = 4. * indicates p,0.05 compared to other two groups. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048188.ginjection of NaF in the rat eye showed a broad peak (Figure 2B) possibly due to the `halation’ of the choroid-retina response [34]. Halation or secondary fluorescence occurs due to the presence of a highly CI 1011 autofluorescent tissue.Compared to subconjunctival and suprachoroidal injections. At 10 and 30 minutes, vitreous levels were significantly higher (p,0.05) after suprachoroidal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection. At 2, 30, and 60 minutes, anterior chamber levels were significantly higher (p,0.05) after suprachoroidal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection. Anterior chamber concentrations were significantly higher (p,0.05) after intravitreal injection when compared to subconjunctival injection at 2, 10, 30, and, 60 minutes.injection with intravitreal and posterior subconjunctival injections using noninvasive ocular fluorophotometry. We demonstrated that 1) sodium fluorescein levels can be monitored noninvasively in different ocular tissues after suprachoroidal, posterior subconjunctival, and intravitreal injections in rats using ocular fluorophotometry; 2) the suprachoroidal route is the most effective method for attaining high concentrations of sodium fluorescein in the choroid-retina region; and 3) the rate and extent of delivery to the choroid-retina is highest with suprachoroidal injection.Possible Reasons for Autofluorescence and Broad vs. Sharp NaF Peaks in Different RegionsBaseline Fluorotron scans showed very minimal autofluorescence peaks in the choroid-retina, lens, and cornea regions (Figure 2A). A very low autofluorescence was also observed in the anterior chamber. Possible reasons for autofluorescence from these tissues are the presence of fluorescent nucleotides and lipid metabolites [27?9]. Autofluoresence in the choroid-retina region of rats is attributed to the presence of lipofuscin granules [27,30] in the retinal pigment epithelial cells and elastin layer in the bruch’s membrane [28]. Autofluoresence in the lens can be due to the presence of flavoproteins such as FMN in the lens epithelium [31]. Rat corneal autofluorescence is caused by pyridine nucleotides such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) [32] and flavin nucleotides such as flavin mononucleotide (FMN) [33] in metabolically active cells such as the corneal epithelium and endothelium [29]. Baseline autofluorescence and peak assignments are shown in Figure 2A. Using fluorophotometry, we compared NaF levels in the eye after suprachoroidal, subconjunctival, and 
intravitreal injections. The signals observed were much higher than the background fluorescence and each route resulted in peak signals at a distinct location, corresponding to the site of injection. SuprachoroidalDiscussionThis is the first study to demonstrate suprachoroidal injection in a rat model and compare the pharmacokinetics of suprachoroidalSuprachoroidal Drug DeliveryFigure 6. Pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax and AUC 0?60 min) estimated for sodium fluorescein after injection by suprachoroidal, intravitreal, and posterior subconjunctival routes in Sprague Dawley rats. Parameters for the three routes of administration were estimated using non-compartmental analysis using WinNonlin (version 1.5, Pharsight Inc.,CA). Cmax is the maximum observed drug concentration and AUC 0?60 min is the area under the curve in a given tissue. Data are expressed as mean 6 SD for n = 4. * indicates p,0.05 compared to other two groups. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048188.ginjection of NaF in the rat eye showed a broad peak (Figure 2B) possibly due to the `halation’ of the choroid-retina response [34]. Halation or secondary fluorescence occurs due to the presence of a highly autofluorescent tissue.
