BACKGROUND: Retinal S-antigen (S-Ag) is a most characterized autoantigen of autoimmune uveitis. The recognized immunodominant epitope of human S-Ag in patients with uveitis has not been identified. In this study, we selected certain patients with active uveitis to map the Th1 cell epitope spectrum of human S-Ag in Behcet's disease(BD). METHODS: Blood samples were taken from eight active BD patients who showed an immune response to 40 mixed overlapping peptides spanning the entire sequence of human S-Ag. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated with single S-Ag peptide at 5 microg/ml or 20 microg/ml. Single-cell immune responses were measured by IFN-gamma ELIspot assay. RESULTS: BD patients heterogeneously responded to the S-Ag peptides at two concentrations. In general, the responses to 5 microg/ml peptides were slightly stronger than those to 20 microg/ml peptides, while the maximum SFC frequency to single peptide at the two concentrations was similar. Several peptides including P31, P35 and P40 induced a prominent response, with the frequency of S-Ag specific cells being about 0.007%. Significant reactivity pattern shift was noted in patients with different disease courses. CONCLUSIONS: Certain active BD patients have S-Ag specific Th1 cells with a low frequency. The S-Ag epitope specificity between patients is highly heterogeneous, and varies with the uveitis course.
BACKGROUND: Retinal S-antigen (S-Ag) is a most characterized autoantigen of autoimmune uveitis. The recognized immunodominant epitope of humanS-Ag in patients with uveitis has not been identified. In this study, we selected certain patients with active uveitis to map the Th1 cell epitope spectrum of humanS-Ag in Behcet's disease(BD). METHODS: Blood samples were taken from eight active BDpatients who showed an immune response to 40 mixed overlapping peptides spanning the entire sequence of humanS-Ag. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated with single S-Ag peptide at 5 microg/ml or 20 microg/ml. Single-cell immune responses were measured by IFN-gamma ELIspot assay. RESULTS:BDpatients heterogeneously responded to the S-Ag peptides at two concentrations. In general, the responses to 5 microg/ml peptides were slightly stronger than those to 20 microg/ml peptides, while the maximum SFC frequency to single peptide at the two concentrations was similar. Several peptides including P31, P35 and P40 induced a prominent response, with the frequency of S-Ag specific cells being about 0.007%. Significant reactivity pattern shift was noted in patients with different disease courses. CONCLUSIONS: Certain active BDpatients have S-Ag specific Th1 cells with a low frequency. The S-Ag epitope specificity between patients is highly heterogeneous, and varies with the uveitis course.
Authors: B Mazzanti; B Hemmer; E Traggiai; C Ballerini; H F McFarland; L Massacesi; R Martin; M Vergelli Journal: J Neurosci Res Date: 2000-01-01 Impact factor: 4.164
Authors: O R Baricordi; A Sensi; P Pivetti-Pezzi; S Perrone; A Balboni; G Catarinelli; F Filippi; L Melchiorri; A Moncada; P L Mattiuz Journal: Hum Immunol Date: 1986-11 Impact factor: 2.850