Monoclonal antibodies against CD54 (ICAM-1) and CD11a (LFA-1) prevent and inhibit endotoxin-induced uveitis.

We studied the effect of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1; ICAM-1) and CD11a (lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1; LFA-1) on the prevention and treatment of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). When treated at the time of endotoxin injection the mean number of inflammatory cells infiltrating the eye +/- S.E.M. on histologic sections was 469.2 +/- 51.9 for controls, 13.8 +/- 2.6 for rats receiving anti-ICAM-1 mAb (P < 0.0001), and 195.8 +/- 48.8 for rats receiving anti-LFA-1 mAb (P = 0.0003). When treated after the start of inflammatory disease, the mean number of infiltrating inflammatory cells +/- S.E.M. was 273.0 +/- 30.7 for controls, 6.4 +/- 1.7 for rats receiving anti-ICAM-1 mAb (P < 0.0001), and 54.2 +/- 7.6 for rats receiving anti-LFA-1 mAb (P < 0.0001). The mean number of cells per milliliter of aqueous humor +/- S.E.M. was 1867.6 +/- 321.8 for controls, 21.7 +/- 5.3 for rats receiving anti-ICAM-1 mAb (P < 0.0001), and 295.1 +/- 71.2 for rats receiving anti-LFA-1 mAb (P < 0.0001). MAbs against ICAM-1 and LFA-1 significantly inhibited the development of EIU and were effective in treating clinically evident ocular inflammatory disease.