Uveitis in Patients Treated with CTLA-4 and PD-1 Checkpoint Blockade Inhibition.

: To investigate the link between treatment with CTLA-4 and PD-1 checkpoint blockade inhibitors and the development of noninfectious uveitis.: A survey was distributed to uveitis specialists to identify patients who developed uveitis while receiving either PD-1 inhibitors pembrolizumab and nivolumab; PD-L1 inhibitors atezolizumab, avelumab, and durvalumab; or the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab.: Fifteen patients from seven institutions were identified.

Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Decrease the Development of Severe Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis in B10.RIII Mice.

Purpose: We investigated the effect of exogenously administered human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hESC-MSCs) in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in B10.RIII mice, a murine model of severe uveitis.

Methods: B10.

Fundus Autofluorescence Findings in Eyes With Birdshot Chorioretinitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe fundus autofluorescence (FAF) findings in eyes with birdshot chorioretinitis (BSCR) and to compare findings to demographic, medical, and clinical characteristics.

Methods: In this multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study, 172 eyes (86 patients) with BSCR were investigated. Participants underwent a standardized evaluation including collection of demographic data, ophthalmic and treatment history, and ophthalmologic examination.

Choroidal Findings in Eyes With Birdshot Chorioretinitis Using Enhanced-Depth Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to describe choroidal findings observed using optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging (EDI-OCT) in eyes with birdshot chorioretinitis (BSCR) and to test the hypothesis that these findings are related to participant demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment.

Methods: In a multicenter, cross-sectional study, 172 eyes of 86 individuals with BSCR underwent a standardized clinical evaluation, including defined protocols for EDI-OCT imaging, with macular and peripapillary volume scans. Choroidal findings were compared to demographic information, ophthalmic examination findings, and treatment history, using logistic regression models.

KIR and HLA Genotypes Implicated in Reduced Killer Lymphocytes Immunity Are Associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cells are killer lymphocytes that provide defense against viral infections and tumor transformation. Analogous to that of CTL, interactions of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) with specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands calibrate NK cell education and response. Gene families encoding KIRs and HLA ligands are located on different chromosomes, and feature variation in the number and type of genes.

Programmed cell death-1 is expressed in large retinal ganglion cells and is upregulated after optic nerve crush.

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) is a key negative receptor inducibly expressed on T cells, B cells and dendritic cells. It was discovered on T cells undergoing classical programmed cell death. Studies showed that PD-1 ligation promotes retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death during retinal development.

Mesenchymal stem cell population derived from human pluripotent stem cells displays potent immunomodulatory and therapeutic properties.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are being tested in a wide range of human diseases; however, loss of potency and inconsistent quality severely limit their use. To overcome these issues, we have utilized a developmental precursor called the hemangioblast as an intermediate cell type in the derivation of a highly potent and replenishable population of MSCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). This method circumvents the need for labor-intensive hand-picking, scraping, and sorting that other hESC-MSC derivation methods require.

Visual migraine aura with or without headache: association with right to left shunt and assessment following transcutaneous closure.

Background: Right to left shunting, usually caused by a patent foramen ovale (PFO), is associated with migraine and visual aura. It is unknown if patients who present with visual aura without headache behave similarly to those experiencing typical migraine headache with aura. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of right to left shunting in patients who present with migraine aura without headache and evaluate the response to PFO closure.

The effect of patent foramen ovale closure on visual aura without headache or typical aura with migraine headache.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of right-to-left (R to L) shunt in patients with visual aura and evaluate the effect of shunt closure on resolution of aura.

Background: Right-to-left shunting is associated with migraine headache (MH) with aura. Some patients present with visual aura without headaches.

HLA-A29 and birdshot chorioretinopathy.

Birdshot chorioretinopathy primarily affects patients of European descent. At least 96%, if not all patients, are HLA-A29 carriers. HLA-A*29:01 and HLA-A*29:02, the two main subtypes of HLA-A29, differ only by a single mutation.

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in uveitis.

Purpose: to review the function and genetics of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and studies of KIR genetic associations with uveitis.

Methods: Review of published studies.

Results: KIRs are receptors on NK and some T cells.

Extraocular manifestations of birdshot chorioretinopathy in 118 French patients.

Introduction: Published studies on birdshot chorioretinopathy (BCR) did not provide definitive information on possibly associated extraocular manifestations.

Methods: Single-center cross-sectional analysis of extraocular manifestations in a cohort of patients with BCR.

Results: Since 2002, 118 patients (45 men, 73 women) were enrolled.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor gene-cluster 3DS1-2DL5-2DS1-2DS5 predisposes susceptibility to Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome in Japanese individuals.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) control the effector function of natural killer (NK) cells and subsets of T cell, and the genes encoding KIRs are substantially variable among individuals. A majority (58.4%) of Japanese individuals were found to be homozygous for group A KIR haplotypes that encode only a single activating KIR2DS4.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors in HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis, with and without axial spondyloarthropathy.

Purpose: To determine associations between polymorphic genes that encode KIRs and their HLA class I ligands in patients with HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis (AAU), with and without axial spondyloarthropathy (axial SpA).

Methods: Molecular DNA typing methods were used to define the frequencies of variable KIR genes and their relevant HLA class I ligands in HLA-B27(+) (B27(+)) Caucasian subjects with AAU and 429 healthy Caucasian control subjects. The patients were evaluated for axial SpA based on their histories using published criteria.

Constitutive neuronal expression of the immune regulator, programmed death 1 (PD-1), identified during experimental autoimmune uveitis.

Purpose: Programmed death-1 (PD-1) ligation downregulates active lymphocyte responses. The authors tested whether PD-1 or its ligands are expressed in the posterior segment during active intraocular inflammation.

Methods: Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) was induced using interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP 161-180).

Contrast sensitivity among patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy.

Purpose: To assess contrast sensitivity in patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy; to identify relationships between contrast sensitivity, other measures of visual function, clinical findings, and quality of life.

Design: Single-center, cross-sectional study.

Methods: We measured contrast sensitivity in 63 patients (126 eyes) at four spatial frequencies (3, 6, 12, 18 cycles/degree [cpd]) using the CSV-1000E instrument (VectorVision, Greenville, Ohio, USA).

Longitudinal cohort study of patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy. V. Quality of life at baseline.

Purpose: To describe results of a vision-specific quality-of-life (QOL) questionnaire at baseline examination of 80 subjects in a longitudinal cohort study of birdshot chorioretinopathy and to identify relationships between these results and measures of visual function.

Design: Single-center, cross-sectional study.

Methods: The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) was administered to all subjects.