title: Immunological and pathological investigations in equine experimental uveitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenic mechanism of equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is still poorly defined and many variations between experimental animal models and spontaneous disease exist.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate if Th17 cell-mediated response plays role in the pathogenesis of the used experimental model in horses and to reveal its pathological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental uveitis was induced in 6 healthy horses. The concentrations of retinal autoantigen CRALBP and IL-17 were measured using ELISA in aqueous humor and vitreous body of the 12 inflamed eyes as well as in 12 control non-inflamed eyes taken from 6 horses in slaughter house. After centrifugation of the two eye media, smears were prepared and cytological investigation was performed. Tissue specimens were taken from all eye globes and were submitted to histopathological investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRALBP and IL-17 concentrations were significantly elevated in eye media of horses with experimental uveitis in comparison with controls. Cytological and histopathological findings corresponded to the changes characteristic of chronic immune-mediated inflammation with mononuclear cell infiltration of uvea, choroid, retina, and eye media as well as severe retinal destruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated the involvement of the retinal autoantigen CRALBP as well as IL-17 in the pathogenesis of experimental uveitis in horses. These findings suggests that this experimental uveitis in horses may serve as a suitable animal model for investigation of IL-17- mediated immune response during spontaneous autoimmune uveitis in horses as well as in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. galinavet@abv.bg.
authors.forename: Galina P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Simeonova
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Svetozar Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Krastev
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Radostin S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Simeonov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005123:Eye / Q000503:physiopathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006736:Horses; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: C020932:11-cis-retinal-binding protein; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D020381:Interleukin-17
keywords: CRABP; Elisa; Histopathology; Horse; Il-17; Retina