| First Author | Stern ME | Year | 2005 |
| Journal | Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci | Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 9 | Pages | 3239-46 |
| PubMed ID | 16123425 | Mgi Jnum | J:101339 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3603861 | Doi | 10.1167/iovs.05-0138 |
| Citation | Stern ME, et al. (2005) Role of interferon-gamma in a mouse model of allergic conjunctivitis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 46(9):3239-46 |
| abstractText | PURPOSE: To characterize the effect of repeated topical exposure to allergen in a mouse model of allergic conjunctivitis and to determine the role of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the pathogenesis of allergic conjunctivitis. METHODS: Wild-type BALB/c mice and IFN-gamma knockout (KO) BALB/c mice were sensitized in the footpad with short ragweed (SRW) allergen and challenged topically for seven consecutive days with SRW allergen. The number of splenic CD4(+) Th2 cells was determined by flow cytometry, and the cytokine profile of CD4(+) T cells from SRW-sensitized mice was evaluated by ELISA. The role of IFN-gamma in allergic conjunctivitis was also examined by timed in vivo neutralization with anti-IFN-gamma antibody. Allergic conjunctivitis was evaluated clinically and histopathologically. RESULTS: Repeated topical challenge with SRW allergen induced allergic conjunctivitis that was characterized by lid edema, chemosis, redness, and tearing. Histopathological analysis revealed a marked conjunctival infiltrate that was predominantly neutrophils and eosinophils. IFN-gamma KO mice and normal mice treated with anti-IFN-gamma antibody displayed milder clinical symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis and a 70% reduction in the number of eosinophils that infiltrated the conjunctiva. Spleen cells from SRW-sensitized mice contained a large population of cells that expressed the Th2 surface marker T1/ST2 and produced IL-4, -5, and -10 and IFN-gamma after stimulation with SRW allergen. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated topical application of SRW allergen induces a form of murine allergic conjunctivitis that mimics the human counterpart. IFN-gamma appears to contribute to the pathogenesis of murine allergic conjunctivitis at the effector phase, but not during the initial sensitization stage. |
