Induction of experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis by a self-antigen: melanin complex without adjuvant.
OBJECTIVE
Experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease induced by immunization with bovine melanin-associated antigen (MAA) and two adjuvants (complete Freund's adjuvant and purified pertussis toxin). This study was undertaken to explore whether an adjuvant is required in the induction of EAAU.


METHODS
Insoluble MAA was extracted from the bovine iris and ciliary body. Soluble bovine MAA was derived by treatment of insoluble MAA with the proteolytic enzyme, V8 protease. Lewis rats were immunized with the insoluble or soluble antigen, with or without adjuvant (complete Freund's adjuvant and purified pertussis toxin). Adoptive transfer of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was performed to investigate the pathogenesis of EAAU.


RESULTS
Experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis can be induced in Lewis rats by immunization with 100 g insoluble bovine MAA alone without the use of adjuvants. The disease can be adoptively transferred to naive syngenic rats by primed CD4+ T cells. In contrast, soluble bovine MAA was not uveitogenic unless adjuvants were employed.


CONCLUSIONS
The data suggest that EAAU can be induced in the Lewis rat without addition of an adjuvant. Future studies concerning the pathogenesis of EAAU can now be performed without the possible confounding effect of an adjuvant.
Bora
N S
NS
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Woon
M D
MD
Tandhasetti
M T
MT
Cirrito
T P
TP
Kaplan
H J
HJ
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002833:Choroiditis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001324:Autoantigens; D008543:Melanins