Presence of retinal autoantigen in normal mice: absence in strains with retinal degeneration.
We examined the eyes of four strains of mice to determine if some or all contained an antigen which might cross-react with an antigen of guinea pig retina. To do this, we prepared guinea-pig antibody to guinea-pig retinal extract by immunizing Hartley guinea pigs with guinea-pig retinal extract in two different adjuvants. The retinal tissue of Balb/c and C57B1/6J mice stained well when we used the guinea-pig antibody to guinea-pig retinal extract. In contrast, the eyes of a subline, i.e., C57B1/6J-rd with retinal degeneration, did not stain. Likewise, the eyes of C3H/HeJ and SJL mice with abnormal retinas did not stain. The latter two strains are known to have retinal degeneration. The control studies were negative. This study shows that normal murine eyes have at least one antigen which cross-reacts with a guinea-pig retinal antigen. It also shows abnormal mouse retinas lack this antigen.
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Brown University Program in Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Providence, Rhode Island.
McMaster
P R
PR
Geltzer
A
A
Kinder
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RS
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000276:immunology*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D001324:Autoantigens