CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells induced by LPS-activated bone marrow dendritic cells suppress experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in vivo.

Background: Tolerance-inducing DC are considered to be less mature than immunogenic DC, but the conditions promoting a less mature DC phenotype are not clear. We have previously shown that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can have differential effects on DC function depending on the timing of DC exposure to LPS. Here, we show that early LPS-activated bone marrow derived DC (early DC, eDC), when administered subcutaneously to mice in vivo, promote tolerance to EAU induced via immunisation with interphotoreceptor retinol binding protein (IRBP) peptide 161-180.

Lymph node removal enhances corneal graft survival in mice at high risk of rejection.

Background: As shown previously, the submandibular (SM) lymph node (LN) is required for priming the immune response during corneal graft rejection. In this study, we wished to determine whether corneal grafts at "high-risk" of rejection were also protected after selective SM LN removal and if so to investigate whether this improved corneal graft survival was due to induction of specific regulatory/suppressor cells or was due to immunological "ignorance".

Methods: Two sets of experiments were performed.

The immune response to corneal allograft requires a site-specific draining lymph node.

Background: Recent studies have shown that head-neck draining lymph nodes (DLN) are required for priming the immune response during corneal allograft rejection. In this study we have investigated further the role of the DLN and spleen in corneal graft rejection in mice.

Methods: Individual DLN (submandibular [SM]; superficial cervical [SC]; and internal jugular) or their combinations were removed in mice undergoing corneal allografting (C57BL/10, H2(b) to BALB/c, H2(d)).