Dua H S, Abrams M S, Barrett J A, Donoso L A
Research Department, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
Eye (Lond). 1992;6 ( Pt 5):447-52. doi: 10.1038/eye.1992.94.
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.
实验性自身免疫性葡萄膜炎是一种视网膜和葡萄膜的免疫介导性炎症。通过给实验动物接种视网膜自身抗原，可在其眼部诱发这种炎症。这种葡萄膜炎动物模型与人类特发性葡萄膜炎极为相似，非常适合用于研究葡萄膜炎发病机制中涉及的机制，以及评估用于控制或预防免疫介导性眼内炎症的方法。在本研究中，我们使用视网膜蛋白S抗原、光感受器间类视黄醇结合蛋白以及S抗原的一些合成肽来调节Lewis大鼠的免疫反应。经过免疫调节后，这些动物在用视网膜蛋白攻击时未发生葡萄膜炎。发现能下调免疫反应的视网膜抗原小的非致病性肽，对于制定人类葡萄膜炎免疫干预策略具有重要意义。
