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Updated: May 30, 2026

Phenotypic and Functional Analysis of Activated Regulatory T Cells Isolated from Chronic Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus-infected Mice
Published on: June 22, 2016
B and T lymphocyte attenuator regulates the development of antigen-induced experimental conjunctivitis
Waka Ishida1, Ken Fukuda, Mina Kajisako
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku-shi, Kochi 783-8505, Japan.
Purpose:
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.
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