Spontaneous retinopathy in HLA-A29 transgenic mice.
Humans who have inherited the class I major histocompatibility allele HLA-A29 have a markedly increased relative risk of developing the eye disease termed birdshot chorioretinopathy. This disease affecting adults is characterized by symmetrically scattered, small, cream-colored spots in the fundus associated with retinal vasculopathy and inflammatory signs causing damage to the ocular structures, leading regularly to visual loss. To investigate the role of HLA-A29 in this disease, we introduced the HLA-A29 gene into mice. Aging HLA-A29 transgenic mice spontaneously developed retinopathy, showing a striking resemblance to the HLA-A29-associated chorioretinopathy. These results strongly suggest that HLA-A29 is involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Elucidation of the role of HLA-A29 should be assisted by this transgenic model.
Mouse Immunogenetics, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 462, Institute of Hematology, Saint-Louis Hospital, 1 Avenue Claude Vellefaux, 75475 Paris Cedex 10, France.
Y
Y
Szpak
J C
JC
Vieville
T
T
Tabary
M C
MC
Naud
M
M
Chopin
C
C
Edelson
J H
JH
Cohen
J
J
Dausset
Y
Y
de Kozak
M
M
Pla
D000818:Animals; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; C035524:HLA-A29 antigen