The Role Of Toll-like Receptor 4 In The Pathogenesis Of Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis

Objective: To investigate the adjuvant effect of the LPS on induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in B10.RIII mice.Methods: EAU in B10.RIII background mice was induced by immunization with 3μg of IRBP in PBS emulsified 1:1 v/v in CFA with or without LPS. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), eye pathology for EAU, antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production were analyzed at 21 days after immunization.Results: TLR4 agonist LPS enhanced EAU scores, DTH responses and Ag-specific T cell proliferation. Ag-specific IL-6 and IFN-γproduction by T lymphocytes markedly increased in the LPS-treated group. The effects of LPS on EAU were abolished by treatment with LPS deactivator polymyxin B.Conclusions:TLR4 enhance EAU which reveal microbial infections may contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases such as uveitis.