Cellular immune responsiveness of uveitis patients to retinal S-antigen.
S-antigen, an organ-specific substance isolated from the retinal photoreceptor region, was shown to be a potent agent for the induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis. S-antigen and other ocular antigens were tested for their ability to induce blast transformation of lymphocytes from patients with a variety of ocular inflammatory diseases. Lymphocytes from 22% of patients tested manifested a positive memory response to the S-antigen prepared from bovine eyes. Responses to human S-antigen paralleled those found with the bovine. All of those with a positive response had active or inactive retinal lesions. Some posterior uveitis patients responded to crude retinal extracts but not to S-antigen, indicating the possible role of other retinal antigens still to be purified. Control subjects did not manifest a positive immune response to the S-antigen, nor did patients with anterior uveitis. Possibly, these responses play some role in the pathogenesis of the disease.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000276:immunology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens