Suppression of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis by Anti-IL-17 antibody.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether treatment with anti-IL-17 antibody could suppress the intraocular inflammation of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) in rats.


METHODS
Rats were immunized with interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP) R16 peptide and were treated with anti-IL-17 antibody. Clinical signs of inflammation and ocular histological sections were observed and graded. Cytokine levels of supernatants of cells from draining lymph nodes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and lymphocyte proliferation assay (LPA) were detected.


RESULTS
Treatment of EAU with anti-IL-17 antibody delayed the onset of ocular inflammation and markedly inhibited the development of EAU. Antigen-specific DTH and LPA were suppressed, whereas the level of interferon (IFN)-gamma produced by draining lymph node cells was increased after treatment with anti-IL-17 antibody. There was no significant change of IL-5 level as compared with control rats.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that blockade of endogenous IL-17 activity by treatment with anti-IL-17 antibody attenuates EAU in rats. IL-17 rather than IFN-gamma plays a crucial role in the development of EAU, and that antagonism of IL-17 could be useful for the treatment of human intraocular autoimmune diseases.
Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No. 83, Fenyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China. zhangrui946@sohu.com
Rui
R
Zhang
Jiang
J
Qian
Jie
J
Guo
Yi-Fei
YF
Yuan
Kang
K
Xue
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000276:immunology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012173:Retinitis / Q000473:pathology*; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014605:Uveitis / Q000473:pathology*; D000099214:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Interstitial
D000906:Antibodies; D005136:Eye Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D020381:Interleukin-17; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D000099214:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Interstitial