title: Lymphocyte proliferation response to S antigen in patients with uveitis and optic neuritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the autoimmunity which may play a major role in the etiology of certain forms of uveitis and optic neuritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lymphocyte proliferation response to retinal soluble antigen in vitro by incorporation 3H-thymidine with DNA was tested in 115 patients with anterior uveitis, posterior/pan-uveitis, optic neuritis, and 50 volunteers with unrelated diseases such as congenital ptosis, strabismus, or completely healthy persons as control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of lymphocyte stimulation was 34% (18/53) in anterior uveitis, 41.5% (17/41) in posterior/pan-uveitis, and 57.1% (12/21) in optic neuritis. The results in the experimental groups were significantly different from those of the control group (X2 = 14.76, P < 0.05, x2 = 19.14, P < 0.005, x2 = 26.38, P < 0.005, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The autoimmunity plays a role in the pathogenesis in certain forms of uveitis and optic neuritis. Such immune responses may be secondary to the exposition or release of retinal antigens by various causes, leading to activation or augmentation of meager or low-affinity S antigen specific lymphocytes which may pre-exist in the circulation and starting the pathogenic autoimmune process.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, 1st Teaching Hospital of Shanxi Medical College, Taiyuan, China.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Ren
authors: X
authors: X
authors: Yan
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000276:immunology*; D015864:Panuveitis / Q000276:immunology*; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D019393:Arrestin; D001324:Autoantigens; D005136:Eye Proteins