The effect of retinal autoantigens and their peptides on the inhibition of experimental autoimmune uveitis.

Experimental autoimmune uveitis is an immune-mediated inflammation of the retina and uveal tract. Such inflammation can be induced in eyes of experimental animals by inoculating them with retinal autoantigens. This animal model of uveitis closely resembles idiopathic uveitis in humans and lends itself ideally for the study of mechanisms involved in the aetiopathogenesis of uveitis and for the evaluation of methods used to control or prevent immune-mediated intraocular inflammation. In this study we used the retinal proteins S-antigen, interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein and some synthetic peptides of S-antigen to modulate the immune response of Lewis rats. Following immunomodulation these animals did not develop uveitis when challenged with the retinal proteins. The discovery of small, non-pathogenic peptides of retinal antigens that down-regulate the immune response has relevance in developing strategies for immune intervention in human uveitis.