Cellular mechanism of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis

Abstract

[BACKGROUND] Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that is induced in animals sensitive to retinal antigens. The recruitment of leukocytes is crucial for ocular inflammation in EAU, whereas target cells and effector cells have not yet been clearly characterized.[PURPOSE] Isolation and characterization of target cells in EAU[METHODS] EAU was induced in B10 mice by immunization with 50 μg human interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein peptide 161-180 in emulsion with CFA supplemented with 3.5 mg/ml M. tuberculosis(1:1,vol/vol). Disease severity was assessed clinically by funduscopic examination. Retinal cells and ocular infiltrating cells were obtained by enzyme digestion from the eyecups of normal and EAU mice,respectively, and were separated into different types of cells by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. To assess which types of cells were target and effector cells in EAU, we determined cytotoxic activity of infiltrating cells against retinal cells by ⁵¹Cr release assay.[RESULTS] Two kinds of retinal cells were isolated as ⁵¹Cr incorporationg cells. They appeared to be retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and monocytic cells judging from their morphological features under an electron microscope. The identification of effector cells responsible for EAU is under investigation in our laboratory.[CONCLUSIONS] We isolated RPE cells and monocytic cells as monodispersed growing cells or a candidate for target cells in EAU. [J Physiol Sci. 2006;56 Suppl:S68]