The failure of cyclosporin to inhibit granulomatous inflammation in acute Arthus-like panophthalmitis.

Acute Arthus-like panophthalmitis (AP) was induced in Lewis rat eyes by lens injury after immunization with whole rabbit lens extract. AP consists of an acute anterior ocular inflammation, followed by a posterior choroidal granulomatous reaction. Neither inflammatory response was inhibited by daily treatment with cyclosporin, 10 mg/kg, beginning on the day of lens injury. Cyclosporin would not be expected to interfere with the lens-induced anterior Arthus-like inflammation. The lack of inhibition of the choroidal inflammation was unexpected. The results are interpreted to indicate that the posterior granulomatous choroidal inflammation is a non-immune reaction initiated by the severe lens-induced Arthus-like reaction.