Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) is an organ-specific, T cell–mediated disease that targets the posterior pole of the eye. It is also a valuable, well-characterized model for the study of human idiopathic uveitis. This disease can be induced in susceptible primates and rodents after immunization with retinal self-antigens, such as interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) or S-antigen (arrestin), or by the adoptive transfer of uveitis antigen-specific T cells (Commodaro et al., 2010).
Immune Response:
IRBP-specific CD4+CD25high T cells could be cultured from vaccinated mice and transferred protection to unvaccinated, EAU-challenged recipients. Expression of IRBP in the periphery by DNA vaccination results in tolerance that acts at least in part through induction of IRBP-specific, FoxP3+CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Silver et al., 2007).
Efficacy:
Vaccinated mice were highly protected from EAU induced by immunization with IRBP for at least 10 weeks after vaccination (Silver et al., 2007).
IV. References
1. Commodaro et al., 2010: Commodaro AG, Peron JP, Lopes CT, Arslanian C, Belfort R Jr, Rizzo LV, Bueno V. Evaluation of experimental autoimmune uveitis in mice treated with FTY720. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science. 2010; 51(5); 2568-2574. [PubMed: 20019358].
2. Silver et al., 2007: Silver PB, Agarwal RK, Su SB, Suffia I, Grajewski RS, Luger D, Chan CC, Mahdi RM, Nickerson JM, Caspi RR. Hydrodynamic vaccination with DNA encoding an immunologically privileged retinal antigen protects from autoimmunity through induction of regulatory T cells. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 2007; 179(8); 5146-5158. [PubMed: 17911600].
