Immunologic analysis of intraocular mononuclear cell infiltrates in uveitis.

The pathogenesis of chronic idiopathic uveitis is not known. Analysis of inflammatory site (ie, intraocular) lymphocytes in the aqueous humor and/or vitreous cavity was performed with monoclonal antibodies and a cell sorter. The mononuclear cell population within the aqueous humor of eyes with acute idiopathic uveitis resembled that observed in the peripheral blood. In contrast, eyes with chronic idiopathic uveitis displayed a scarcity of T cells within the vitreous. Eyes with chronic uveitis of presumed infectious cause did not show similar changes. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that intraocular T-cell immunoregulation of B-cell function may be defective in some stages of chronic idiopathic uveitis.