Characterized and predictable rabbit uveitis model for antiinflammatory drug screening.

A model has been developed for the screening of antiinflammatory ophthalmic drugs in rabbits. This simple and rapid method is reproducible and uses fewer animals than do some other methods. Rabbits are sensitized to bovine serum proteins, then challenged intravitreally to induce a uveitis. The basis of the inflammatory response is shown to be due primarily to an immunologic mechanism. At 24 hr postchallenge, animals are sorted into treatment groups of approximately equal "titer" as defined by the slit lamp examination iris score which measures the magnitude of the immunologic response. Topical ocular treatment (control or drug) is then initiated and continued for a total of four days. Iris inflammation is evaluated by daily slit lamp exams. Results indicate that this model has statistically narrower frequency distribution of iris ratings than another published method, and is faster than other equally accurate and precise methods that depend upon blood antibody titer to sort animals.