A look at autoimmunity and inflammation in the eye
Rachel R. Caspi
Rachel R. Caspi
Published September 1, 2010
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2010;120(9):3073-3083. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI42440.
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A look at autoimmunity and inflammation in the eye

Abstract

Autoimmune and inflammatory uveitis are a group of potentially blinding intraocular inflammatory diseases that arise without a known infectious trigger and are often associated with immunological responses to unique retinal proteins. In the United States, about 10% of the cases of severe visual handicap are attributed to this group of disorders. As I discuss here, experimental models of ocular autoimmunity targeting retinal proteins have brought about a better understanding of the basic immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of uveitis and are serving as templates for the development of novel therapies.

Authors

Rachel R. Caspi

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Figure 3

Critical checkpoints in uveitis, as defined from studies with animal models.

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Critical checkpoints in uveitis, as defined from studies with animal mod...
Retinal antigen–specific T cells that have not been eliminated in the thymus encounter an activating stimulus in the context of costimulatory “danger” signals, escape from the control of nTregs, and differentiate into pathogenic effector T cells. These undergo clonal expansion, migrate to the eye, break down the blood-retinal barrier, and recruit inflammatory leukocytes from the circulation. The resulting inflammation results in damage to the tissue and release of ocular antigens, which triggers eye-specific regulatory mechanisms that terminate the disease and limit pathology. mTECs, medullary thymic epithelial cells. Modified with permission from Immunological Reviews (24).