Molecular mimicry. Yeast histone H3-induced experimental autoimmune uveitis.
Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) serves as an animal model of ocular inflammation. The disease is caused by the immunization with microgram amounts of a soluble retinal protein, designated S-Ag, in susceptible animal strains, including primates. We induced EAU and pinealitis in Lewis rats with a small synthetic peptide, corresponding to amino acid positions 106 to 121 in yeast histone H3, which contains five consecutive amino acids identical to a uveitopathogenic site in human S-Ag. In addition, native yeast histone was also capable of inducing an EAU in Lewis rats. Lymph node cells from animals immunized with either peptide M (uveitopathogenic site of S-Ag), histone H3 peptide, or native histone showed significant cross-reaction. Also, we adoptively transferred the EAU in naive rats by lymph node cells. These findings provide a basis for studying autoimmune inflammatory diseases of the eye in humans.
Singh
V K
VK
Molecular Biology Section, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Yamaki
K
K
Donoso
L A
LA
Shinohara
T
T
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000946:Antigens, Fungal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000276:immunology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D000946:Antigens, Fungal; D006657:Histones; D010446:Peptide Fragments