Age as a determinant factor for endotoxin induced uveitis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if susceptibility to systemic endotoxin-induced uveitis is an age-related phenomenon in the rabbit.


METHODS
Young and adult rabbits were injected intravenously with 2.5 microg/kg of E. coli endotoxin or saline. Thereafter, the number of exudating cells at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours were determined. The levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, total protein, prostaglandin-E2, nitric oxide and interleukin-6 in aqueous humor were also determined 24 hours after the injections.


RESULTS
A significant increase in the number of exudating cells and the levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, total protein, prostaglandin-E2 and nitric oxide in aqueous humor was observed only in adult rabbits 24 hours after endotoxin injection. No differences were observed in the increased IL-6 levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Life stage seems to be a critical factor in developing an eye-inflammatory response induced by systemic endotoxin. This could be a consequence of a differential specific activation of the ocular immune response.
Brito
Beatriz E
BE
Cellular and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), Caracas, Venezuela.
Marcano
Junedy C
JC
Salazar
Eva
E
Cano
Marisol
M
Baute
Leslie
L
Bernal
Geraldine
G
Gonzalez
Luis R
LR
D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005136:Eye Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015232:Dinoprostone