Chan C C, Hikita N, Dastgheib K, Whitcup S M, Gery I, Nussenblatt R B
Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Ophthalmology. 1994 Jul;101(7):1275-80. doi: 10.1016/s0161-6420(94)31199-7.
To study the immunopathology of experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis in the Lewis rat.
Rats were immunized with bovine ocular melanin protein. The kinetics of experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis was studied by clinical examination and immunopathology. Cellular and humoral responses were evaluated by lymphocyte proliferation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and agglutination. After clinical disease subsided, recurrent experimental uveitis was induced with a low-dose footpad injection of lipopolysaccharide.
Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis was characterized by bilateral uveal infiltration mainly with lymphocytes and monocytes. Delayed-type hypersensitivity, lymphocyte proliferation, and agglutination to bovine ocular melanin protein were positive. Expressions of major histocompatibility complex class II and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were observed before ocular infiltration. The predominantly infiltrating cells were CD4+ lymphocytes. Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis subsided within 1 month, spontaneously recurred within 1 week in approximately one quarter of the rats, and was inducible in most rats with 5 micrograms of lipopolysaccharide confirmed by histopathology.
Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune uveitis, resembling noninfectious recurrent iridocyclitis and choroiditis in humans.
