Resemblance between rhodopsin kinase and S-antigen induced uveitis.
The retinal S-antigen (S-Ag) has been shown to induce uveitis effectively in subhuman primates, and lymphocytes from patients with certain uveitic conditions show cell-mediated responses to this antigen. Rhodopsin kinase (RK), an enzyme probably unique to the mammalian eye, is reported here to resemble the retinal S-Ag in its capacity to induce uveitis in experimental animals. A histological comparison of rat eyes taken 2 and 3 weeks after immunisation with either RK or S-Ag reveals essentially identical pathological alterations. Ocular inflammation is seen in both the anterior and posterior portion of the globe. Areas of focal degeneration of the photo-receptor layer, from which both the S-Ag and RK are extracted, could be seen in both RK and S-Ag immunised animals. Cells from draining lymph nodes of both groups responded by increased thymidine incorporation when cultured in the presence of either RK or S-Ag. In addition antibodies directed against the S-Ag were detected in both groups. These findings, in addition to the biochemical similarities of these preparations, reported elsewhere, would strongly suggest that RK and S-Ag are one and the same. The identification of potentially uveitogenic ocular antigens could help to reclassify uveitic entities that at present have clinically similar courses.
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019393:Arrestin; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005260:Female; D051606:G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 1; D007114:Immunization; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008938:Mitosis; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012160:Retina / Q000276:immunology*; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000941:Antigens; D019393:Arrestin; D005136:Eye Proteins; D012243:Rhodopsin; D011494:Protein Kinases; D051606:G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 1; C496765:Grk1 protein, rat