Nonspecific stimulation of a secondary ocular antibody response.

Rabbits injected intravitreally with bovine gamma globulin (BGG) into the right eyes were challenged 3 months later by an intravitreal injection of ovalbumin (OA) into the left eyes. The rabbits were killed 6, 7, and 9 days after challenge and the number of cells producing antibody to both OA and BGG were enumerated. The uveal tract cells of all left eyes produced anti-BGG even though no BGG had been injected into the left eyes. The uveal tract response to OA was less pronounced and typical of a primary response. High anti-BGG titers were found in the aqueous and vitreous humors of the left eyes of many of the rabbits. The reasons for this apparently non-specific stimulation of a secondary response in the absence of specific antigenic challenge are discussed.