Attenuation of rat conjunctival response by repeated hapten applications

Attenuation of the rat conjunctival response by repeated topical challenge with dinitrophenyl (DNP) hapten was demonstrated in our study. Adult rats were immunized by intraperitoneal injections of dinitrophenylated Ascaris suum extract (DNP-Asc) and alum. Serum levels of anti-DNP homocytotropic antibody were determined by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats prepared with antibody 48 hours earlier. In other animals, topical challenge was performed by applying N,N'-di-2,4-DNP-L-lysine (di-DNP-lysine) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) to one eye; PBS alone was applied to the fellow eye. The degree of conjunctival reaction was assessed clinically, and ocular tissues were processed for histological evaluation. The intensity of the conjunctival reaction and extent of mast cell degranulation were significantly greater after one challenge with di-DNP-lysine than after multiple challenges. In the multiple-challenge group, the contralateral eye remained responsive to a single challenge with di-DNP-lysine. These results may have implications for therapeutic interventions in ocular anaphylaxis.