[The onset mechanism of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis induced by interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein]

In order to analyze the onset mechanism of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), two experimental models were used; one was EAU induced by one injection of purified bovine interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) with complete Freund's adjuvant in Lewis rat, and the other was an IRBP-induced autoimmune uveoretinitis that occurred spontaneously in nude (nu/nu) mice at 4 weeks of age reconstituted by the grafting of rat embryonic thymus (TG nude mouse). EAU develops when the IRBP-reactive lymphocytes in the regional lymph-nodes are activated. Activation begins when the T lymphocyte recognizes the peptide for the epitope bound to a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule in the antigen-presenting cell by way of the T-cell receptor (TCR). In EAU, ten peptide residues p1182-1191 of the IRBP amino acid sequence, were revealed to be sufficiently capable of lymphocyte activation for EAU, and it was also shown that amino acid positions 1182W (tryptophane), 1185G (glycine), 1186V (valine) and 1188P (proline) of IRBP play important roles as the epitopes or agretopes in developing EAU. On the other hand, two amino acids of IRBP, amino acid positions 1182W (tryptophane) and 1194P (proline) were shown to be the agretopes inducing autoimmune uveoretinitis in the TG nude mouse. A study of the variable region of the TCR with a residual p1182-1194 specific T-cell line from the TG nude mouse revealed that as many as 96% utilized the T-cell receptor V beta 6 gene and that the peptide-MHC molecule complex was recognized by restricted receptors. Adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were also found to play an important role as cofactors in activation of lymphocytes in the antigen-recognition process of EAU. Uveoretinitis seemed to result from an immune reaction in the eye occurring when the T lymphocyte arrives there, activating the immunological process. ICAM-1 and LFA-1 were also found to be involved in the infiltration process of inflammatory cells: our immunohistological examination revealed that ICAM-1 was present in the retinal pigment epithelium and epithelium of the ciliary body composing the blood-ocular barrier. In contrast, LFA-1 was expressed in the infiltrating cells. Finally, the tolerance of IRBP was discussed and it was experimentally demonstrated that the absence of IRBP-induced uveoretinitis in human beings and certain experimental animals resulted from endogenous IRBP serving as a tolerogen; we assumed that the breakdown of this self-tolerance would induce EAU due to thymic dysfunction or IRBP antigen injection.