title: B and T lymphocyte attenuator regulates the development of antigen-induced experimental conjunctivitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the roles that B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) play in the development of antigen-induced experimental conjunctivitis (EC).
  
  
  METHODS
  BALB/c mice were immunized with ragweed (RW) in alum. Ten days later, the mice were challenged with RW in eye drops. After 24 hours, the conjunctivas, blood and spleens were collected for histological analysis, measurement of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, and both flow cytometric analysis and cytokine assays, respectively. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with anti-BTLA antibody, anti-HVEM antibody or control antibody during either induction phase or effector phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Induction-phase treatment with anti-BTLA antibody but not anti-HVEM antibody significantly increased conjunctival eosinophil infiltration. Treatment with either antibody during the effector phase did not affect conjunctival eosinophil infiltration. Anti-BTLA antibody treatment during the induction phase reduced the B cell compartment and increased the CD11b-positive cell compartment in splenocytes. Additionally, anti-BTLA treatment upregulated IL-4 and IL-10 production of splenocytes stimulated by RW.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BTLA regulated the development of EC possibly by downregulating Th2 cytokine production and adjusting the compartments of immunocompetent cells. The regulation of EC by BTLA may be mediated by BTLA ligands other than HVEM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku-shi, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Waka
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Mina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kajisako
authors.forename: Tamaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagita
authors.forename: Atsuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukushima
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D031164:Ambrosia / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002452:Cell Count; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008024:Ligands; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology*; D053240:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14 / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C488868:BTLA protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008024:Ligands; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D053240:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14