title: Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis in the Lewis rat. Immunopathologic processes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the immunopathology of experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis in the Lewis rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were immunized with bovine ocular melanin protein. The kinetics of experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis was studied by clinical examination and immunopathology. Cellular and humoral responses were evaluated by lymphocyte proliferation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, and agglutination. After clinical disease subsided, recurrent experimental uveitis was induced with a low-dose footpad injection of lipopolysaccharide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis was characterized by bilateral uveal infiltration mainly with lymphocytes and monocytes. Delayed-type hypersensitivity, lymphocyte proliferation, and agglutination to bovine ocular melanin protein were positive. Expressions of major histocompatibility complex class II and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were observed before ocular infiltration. The predominantly infiltrating cells were CD4+ lymphocytes. Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis subsided within 1 month, spontaneously recurred within 1 week in approximately one quarter of the rats, and was inducible in most rats with 5 micrograms of lipopolysaccharide confirmed by histopathology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experimental melanin-protein-induced uveitis is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune uveitis, resembling noninfectious recurrent iridocyclitis and choroiditis in humans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hikita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dastgheib
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Whitcup
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gery
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nussenblatt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005136:Eye Proteins; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008543:Melanins; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012008:Recurrence; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005136:Eye Proteins; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008543:Melanins