Crystallin β-b2 promotes retinal ganglion cell protection in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis.

Crystallin βb2 (crybb2) is upregulated in regenerating retinas and in various pathological conditions of the retina, including uveoretinitis. However, the role of crybb2 in this disease is largely unknown. Therefore, we used recombinant crybb2 (rcrybb2) as intravitreal treatment of B10.

Elevated endothelin-1 levels as risk factor for an impaired ocular blood flow measured by OCT-A in glaucoma.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether a correlation exists between glaucoma-associated alteration of ocular vascular haemodynamics and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels exist. Eyes of patients with cataract (n = 30) or glaucoma (n = 68) were examined with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-angiography (OCT-A; AngioVue™-RTVue-XR; Optovue, Fremont, California, USA). The peripapillary and the macular vessel density (VD) values were measured.

Increased Hydrostatic Pressure Promotes Primary M1 Reaction and Secondary M2 Polarization in Macrophages.

Patients with chronic anterior uveitis are at particularly high risk of developing secondary glaucoma when corticosteroids [e.g., dexamethasone (Dex)] are used or when inflammatory activity has regressed.

Phenotype of Innate Immune Cells in Uveitis Associated with Axial Spondyloarthritis- and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-associated Uveitis.

: To analyze circulating immune cells in patients with anterior uveitis (AU) associated to axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), or juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).: Venous blood samples were collected from healthy controls (n = 16), and either SpA (n = 19) or JIA (n = 23) patients with associated anterior uveitis (AU) during active flare, or after ≥3 months of inactivity. Frequencies of CD56, MHC-I, and S100A9 monocytes, CCR7 dendritic cells, CD56 natural killer (NK) cells and CD3CD56 T-cells were analyzed via flow cytometry.

Loss of IL-10 Promotes Differentiation of Microglia to a M1 Phenotype.

Microglia represent the primary resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and modulate local immune responses. Depending on their physiological functions, microglia can be classified into pro- (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) phenotype. Interleukin (IL)-10 is an important modulator of neuronal homeostasis, with anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective functions, and can be released by microglia.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of iris tissue and aqueous humor in juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis.

Gene and protein expression profiles of iris biopsies, aqueous humor (AqH), and sera in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIAU) in comparison to control patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and HLA-B27-positive acute anterior uveitis (AAU) were investigated. Via RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq) and mass spectrometry-based protein expression analyses 136 genes and 56 proteins could be identified as being significantly differentially expressed (DE) between the JIAU and POAG group. Gene expression of different immunoglobulin (Ig) components as well as of the B cell-associated factors ID3, ID1, and EBF1 was significantly upregulated in the JIAU group as compared to POAG patients.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher disease activity and the risk for uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis - data from a German inception cohort.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the 25(OH) vitamin D (25(OH)D) status of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and determine whether the 25(OH)D level is associated with disease activity and the course of JIA.

Methods: Patients ≤ 16 years of age with recently diagnosed JIA (< 12 months) were enrolled in the inception cohort of patients with newly diagnosed JIA (ICON), an ongoing prospective observational, controlled multicenter study started in 2010. Clinical and laboratory parameters were ascertained quarterly during the first year and half-yearly thereafter.

The effect of methotrexate and sulfasalazine on the course of HLA-B27-positive anterior uveitis: results from a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of methotrexate (MTX) or sulfasalazine (SSZ) on the course of HLA-B27-positive, remitting acute anterior uveitis (AAU).

Methods: Forty-six patients with HLA-B27-positive AAU with or without associated systemic rheumatic disease either receiving MTX (n = 20), SSZ (n = 13), or no systemic immunomodulating treatment (Ctrl; n = 13) were studied retrospectively. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), AAU relapse rate, and occurrence of uveitis-related ocular complications were analyzed at baseline (BL) and at 12-month follow-up (FU).

Novel everolimus-loaded nanocarriers for topical treatment of murine experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU).

In the present study, therapeutic effect of topically applied everolimus (EV)-loaded methoxy-poly(ethylene-glycol)-hexyl substituted poly (lactic acid) (mPEGhexPLA) nanocarriers on experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) were investigated. EAU was induced in B10.RIII mice via immunization with human interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein peptide 161-180 (hIRBPp161-180) in complete Freund's adjuvant.

Effect of Adalimumab on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Non-Infectious Uveitis.

Purpose: This study analyzed the effect of adalimumab on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in uveitis.

Methods: PBMCs and serum S100A12 levels from 14 uveitis patients and 28 healthy controls were analyzed. Patient samples were taken before (w0), and 6 (w6) and 12 (w12) weeks after initiation of adalimumab therapy.

Phenotypic changes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells upon corticosteroid treatment in idiopathic intermediate uveitis.

We analyzed phenotype and function of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 9 patients with active idiopathic intermediate uveitis (IIU) before and after 6 and 12weeks of systemic corticosteroid (CS) treatment and compared to 28 healthy individuals. Monocytes from IIU patients showed increased MHCII expression compared with controls (p=0.09).

Subconjunctival antisense oligonucleotides targeting TNF-alpha influence immunopathology and viral replication in murine HSV-1 retinitis.

Background: To investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in immunopathology and viral replication in the contralateral eye in the von Szily model of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 acute retinitis.

Methods: In vivo distribution was analyzed after subconjunctival injection of FITC-labeled antisense oligonucleotides (ASON). After HSV-1 (KOS) was injected in the right anterior chamber (AC) in BALB/c mice, the course of the contralateral retinitis was evaluated.

Immunomodulation by topical particle-mediated administration of cytokine plasmid DNA suppresses herpetic stromal keratitis without impairment of antiviral defense.

Background: We investigated whether the course of herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) in BALB/c mice could be altered by topical gene-gun-mediated administration of interleukin (IL)-4 or IL-10 plasmid DNA.

Methods: Corneas of BALB/c mice were transfected with plasmids expressing beta-galactosidase (beta-gal), IL-4, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and pCR3.1 (control) 2 days before Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1; KOS) infection.