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Key to iris immune privilege unlocked
A molecule in the iris pigment epithelium may disable T cells and protect the eye from inflammatory immune responses, an animal study suggests. Researchers at Schepens Eye Research Institute speculate that the molecule may be useful in finding treatments for uveitis, herpes and viral ocular infections.
J. Wayne Streilein, MD, and colleagues at the Boston research facility put iris pigment epithelium (IPE) cells from normal mice in culture with pure T cells and their response with that of retinal pigment epithelium and ciliary pigment epithelium. All pigment epithelia suppressed the T cells, but the IPE alone used the CD86 molecule to stop the T cells, according to a news release from Schepens about the findings. Normally, CD86 is used to stimulate T cells, but in the IPE it has the opposite effect, the release said.
The full study is published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.