title: Uveal mast cells are not required for rodent uveitis.
abstract: Uveal mast cells have previously been considered to be vital mediators of experimental uveitis. We extended the study of these cells to experimental melanin-induced uveitis (EMIU), a recently described clinically relevant model, and re-examined their role in endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) using genetically mast cell-depleted mice on a single background. EMIU was induced in Fischer 344 rats by immunisation with bovine ocular melanin (250 microgram. Animals were killed immediately, and on days 1 and 3 of clinical disease. Numbers of uveal mast cells and the percentage of degranulated cells were counted in whole-mount preparations. There was no significant change in either measure across the selected time points. To induce EIU, normal and mast cell-depleted DBA/2 mice were injected with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (400 microgram). Cells infiltrating the eye 24 h after injection were quantified in 5 micrometer ocular cross-sections. Disease was not significantly reduced in the mast cell-depleted mutants. We conclude that uveal mast cells are not required for the development of EMIU or, in contrast to earlier work, EIU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, Australia. justine.smith@flinders.edu.au
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Coster
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002452:Cell Count; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology; D005838:Genotype; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008543:Melanins; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D014602:Uvea / Q000473:pathology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008543:Melanins