Autoantibodies against beta-crystallins induce lens epithelial cell damage and cataract formation in mice.
One-year-old B6C3/f mice, injected with beta-crystallins emulsified with CFA, developed lens epithelial cell damage. Both serum transfer and mAb transfer studies clearly established that the autoimmune insult is induced by humoral immunity. Older mice were more susceptible to autoimmune insult than younger animals. Lens epithelial cell damage invariably proceeded to cortical and posterior subcapsular cataract formation. This mouse model of experimental autoimmune cataract formation will facilitate the exploration of the relation between immune phenomena and human age-related cataract.
Singh
D P
DP
Center for Ophthalmic Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Guru
S C
SC
Kikuchi
T
T
Abe
T
T
Shinohara
T
T
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D003459:Crystallins / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D006801:Humans; D007904:Lens Cortex, Crystalline / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice
D001323:Autoantibodies; D003459:Crystallins; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant