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Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis: An Intraocular Inflammatory Mouse Model
Published on: January 12, 2022
Inter- and intramolecular epitope spreading in equine recurrent uveitis
Cornelia A Deeg1, Barbara Amann, Albert J Raith
1Institute for Animal Physiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. deeg@tiph.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|January 25, 2006
Summary
In horses with recurrent uveitis, immune responses spread to new targets (S-antigen and IRBP-derived epitopes), explaining the disease's relapsing nature.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Immunology
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is an autoimmune eye disease.
- The role of epitope spreading in ERU pathogenesis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate inter- and intramolecular epitope spreading to S-antigen (S-Ag) and interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP)-derived epitopes in a spontaneous equine model of recurrent uveitis.
Main Methods:
- Compared immune responses in eight ERU horses and five healthy controls over 12-39 months.
- Assessed peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) reactivity to S-Ag and IRBP peptides via in vitro proliferation assays.
- Analyzed blood samples during uveitic episodes and relapses.
Main Results:
- Intermolecular epitope spreading was observed in all ERU horses.
- Intramolecular spreading occurred in seven of eight ERU horses.
- Neoreactivity to S-Ag or IRBP peptides accompanied ten uveitic episodes; immune shifts occurred even without clinical signs.
Conclusions:
- Inter- and intramolecular epitope spreading are detectable in spontaneous equine recurrent uveitis.
- Immune response shifts correlate with the remitting-relapsing course of ERU.
