title: Search for autoantibodies against the HNK-1 carbohydrate epitope in the human eye in intermediate uveitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Molecules bearing the immunogenic HNK-1 epitope are present in the inner connective tissue layer and epithelia of the ciliary body. We investigated whether autoantibodies to these molecules can be detected in patients with intermediate uveitis, which affects the ciliary body.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum was collected from 9 patients with intermediate uveitis, and from 6 controls with idiopathic iritis and 3 controls with sarcoid uveitis, representing nongranulomatous and granulomatous uveitis, respectively. The sera were used as polyclonal antibodies to immunostain 3 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal human donor eyes by the avidin-biotinylated peroxidase complex method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No immunostaining in the ciliary body could be detected using the sera from patients with intermediate uveitis or from the controls. Serum within blood vessels was nonspecifically immunolabelled with the secondary anti-human anti-serum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No autoantibodies against the HNK-1 epitope or other antigens of the ciliary body could be demonstrated in patients with intermediate uveitis. It is unlikely that such autoantibodies against the HNK-1 epitope have a role in intermediate uveitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. marita.uusitalo@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uusitalo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikkilä
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kivelä
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015867:Uveitis, Intermediate / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D018959:CD57 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes