Immunological studies of human anterior uveitis.

Immunofluorescent studies revealed extracellular deposits of IgG and C3 as well as immunoglobulin containing inflammatory cells in the affected iris of a patient suffering from endogenous acute uveitis. Antibodies to uveal components were detected in the serum of 4 out of a total of 23 endogenous uveitis patients examined. Examination of these 23 sera also revealed antinuclear activity in one, antismooth muscle activity in one, and anti-mitochondrial activity in three. None of the sera showed anti-thyroglobulin activity. Antibodies to uveal components or immune complexes containing 'auto-antibodies' do not appear to be a common source of tissue damage in human endogenous anterior uveitis.