Complement deposits on ocular tissues adjacent to sites of inflammation.
OBJECTIVE
The complement system plays important roles in a variety of chronic ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. Here we examined the deposition of complement components in mouse eyes damaged by various mechanisms.


METHODS
Mouse eyes were damaged by light or by three models of inflammation, i.e., local transgenic expression of cytokines, interleukin-1 or -7, or by induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis. Eye tissues obtained from each model were immunostained with antibodies against complement components C1q, C3, and C4.


RESULTS
No complement deposition was seen in light damaged eyes, while in inflamed eyes we found complement deposition at sites of tissue damage and cellular infiltration. In addition to affected tissues, intense immunoreactivity against complement was unexpectedly observed in corneal tissues and lens capsule, despite lack of inflammation in these tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations suggest that ocular tissues adjacent to inflammatory sites undergo changes that facilitate complement deposition.
Montalvo
Vanessa
V
Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1857, USA.
Campos
Maria M
MM
Chan
Chi-Chao
CC
Wawrousek
Eric F
EF
Bush
Ronald A
RA
Lambris
John D
JD
Gery
Igal
I
D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000378:metabolism*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003315:Cornea / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000235:genetics; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000528:radiation effects; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000633:toxicity; D014605:Uveitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099214:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Interstitial
D015922:Complement C1q; D003176:Complement C3; D003181:Complement C4; D005136:Eye Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015851:Interleukin-7; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D000099214:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Interstitial