[Participation of sodium iodate in the induction of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU)]

It is known that Brown Norway (BN) rats show resistance to the development of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). Although BN rats don't develop EAU easily when they were immunized with S antigen containing emulsified complete Freund's adjuvant, this paper reports on the development of EAU at the rate of 40-60% in BN rats when immunization is preceded by an injection of more than 0.5 mg (1.79 mg/kg of body wt) of sodium iodate which leads to the destruction of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). It was thought that the destruction of RPE participated in the induction of EAU. Therefore, it is considered that the existence of RPE may play an important role in the induction of EAU.