Long-term topical cyclosporine treatment improves tear production and reduces keratoconjunctivitis in rabbits with induced autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Purpose: To use a rabbit model of induced autoimmune dacryoadenitis to evaluate the efficacy of topical ophthalmic cyclosporine A (CsA).

Methods: Autoimmune dacryoadenitis was induced by injecting autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes, which had been activated in a mixed cell reaction with acinar cells isolated from one inferior lacrimal gland (LG), back into the donor animal's remaining inferior LG. Schirmer's test, tear breakup time, and rose Bengal staining were assessed.

Technique for preparation of the corneal endothelium-Descemet membrane complex for transplantation.

Purpose: Replacing diseased corneal endothelium with a preparation of Descemet membrane carrying functional endothelium and no stroma may be a feasible method for treating corneal endothelial decompensation. To obtain a viable donor of a Descemet membrane endothelium disc, we modified the Descemet membrane stripping technique and monitored the percentage of endothelial damage to the donor tissue preparation.

Methods: Forty-eight human corneas were used.

Cellular redox state predicts in vitro corneal endothelial cell proliferation capacity.

Cellular redox state using the non-invasive mitochondrial autofluorescence technique of redox fluorometry was evaluated as a predictor for corneal endothelial proliferative capacity in vitro. Human corneal endothelial cells (HCEC) harvested from eye bank corneas were cultured in plates with two different coating substrates; type I collagen and poly-D-lysine. Cellular autofluorescence was measured with both DAPI (excitation: G365, emission: bandpass 445/50) and FITC (excitation: bandpass 450-490, emission bandpass 515-565) filter sets on days 3, 5, 7, and 14.

Prophylactic effect of IL-10 gene transfer on induced autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of viral IL-10 on the lacrimal gland immunopathologic response in the ocular surface disease, induced autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Methods: Disease was induced in rabbits by injecting inferior lacrimal glands with peripheral blood lymphocytes activated by 5 days of coculture with autologous acinar cells in a mixed-cell reaction. In the treated group, an adenoviral vector carrying the vIL-10 gene was concurrently injected with activated lymphocytes.

Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor gene expression suppresses lacrimal gland immunopathology in a rabbit model of autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor protein on lacrimal gland immunopathology and ocular surface disease resulting from induced dacryoadenitis.

Methods: Autoimmune dacryoadenitis was induced in rabbits by injecting the lacrimal glands with peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) activated by 5 days of coculture with autologous acinar cells in a mixed cell reaction. In the treated group, an adenoviral vector carrying the TNF inhibitor gene (AdTNFRp55-Ig) was concurrently injected with AMCR-PBL.

Lacrimal histopathology and ocular surface disease in a rabbit model of autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Purpose: To study the effects of induced autoimmune dacryoadenitis on lacrimal gland function, histopathology, and ocular surface disease in a rabbit model.

Methods: One lacrimal gland was surgically excised from each experimental rabbit, and epithelial cells were purified, cultured, irradiated, and then cocultured with autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) for 5 days. Autoimmune dacryoadenitis was induced by injecting the autologous mixed cell reactions (AMCRs) into the rabbit's remaining lacrimal gland.

Expression of IL-10 and TNF-inhibitor genes in lacrimal gland epithelial cells suppresses their ability to activate lymphocytes.

Purpose: To determine whether the expression of either interleukin-10 (IL-10) or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor genes in transduced rabbit lacrimal gland epithelial cells suppresses lymphocyte proliferation in an autologous mixed cell reaction, an apparent in vitro model of autoimmune dacryoadenitis.

Methods: Purified lacrimal gland epithelial cells, transduced with an adenovirus vector carrying either viral IL-10 or TNF-inhibitor genes, were used to study their effects on the proliferation of autologous lymphocytes as monitored by 3H-thymidine incorporation in a mixed cell reaction. After transduction, both epithelial cells and lymphocytes were cultured separately for 2 days and then epithelial cells were irradiated.