Soluble HLA class I and HLA-DR plasma levels in patients with anterior uveitis.
Anterior uveitis (AU) is an autoimmune disease frequently associated with HLA-B27 antigen. Because of the immune regulatory properties of soluble human leukocyte antigen (sHLA) molecules, we quantified sHLA class I (sHLA-I) and sHLA-DR plasma levels in HLA-typed AU patients (n = 60). Randomly selected healthy individuals (n = 128) and HLA-B27 antigen-positive individuals (n = 24) with HLA phenotype frequencies similar to the HLA-B27 antigen-positive AU patients served as control panels. As expected, HLA-B27 phenotype was significantly increased in AU patients (n = 60), compared to healthy controls. Mean sHLA-I levels in AU patients were slightly higher than in randomly selected healthy controls. Regarding AU subgroups, elevated sHLA-I levels were only found in HLA-B27 antigen-negative patients. Compared to controls, sHLA-DR levels were significantly increased in AU patients and the subgroups of HLA-B27 antigen-negative and -positive patients but not Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis (FHC). AU patients negative for HLA-B27 antigen with a chronic course had higher sHLA-DR levels than those with an acute course. The presence of associated systemic diseases in AU patients was related to elevated sHLA-DR levels. Secretion of sHLA-DR in blood differs among the various forms of AU. Systemic immune activation was present in AU but not in FHC.
St. Franziskus Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Münster, Germany.
A
A
Heiligenhaus
V
V
Rebmann
A
A
Neubert
S
S
Plewa
S
S
Ferencik
U
U
Vögeler
K-P
KP
Steuhl
H
H
Grosse-Wilde
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D015863:Iridocyclitis / Q000097:blood*; D014606:Uveitis, Anterior / Q000097:blood*
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I