No Evidence for Circulating Retina Specific Autoreactive T-cells in Latent Tuberculosis-associated Uveitis and Sarcoid Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To detect circulating retina-specific autoreactive CD4⁺ T-cells and antiretinal antibodies (ARA) in latent tuberculosis (TB)-associated uveitis or sarcoid uveitis patients.

Methods: The presence of crude retinal extract (RE) autoreactive CD4⁺ T-cells was determined by a highly sensitive flowcytometric-based technique examining co-expression of CD25 and CD134 (OX40) on RE stimulated PBMC. The presence of ARA in available matched serum samples was assessed by indirect immunofluorescence.

Results: No autoreactive CD4⁺ T-cells against RE could be detected in either latent TB-associated uveitis or sarcoid uveitis patients, while ARA were detected in the serum of the majority (5/6) of latent TB-associated uveitis and all (3/3) sarcoid uveitis patients.

Conclusion: Even with the use of this highly sensitive flowcytometric technique circulating retina-specific autoreactive CD4⁺ T-cells could not be detected. In contrast, ARA were detected in the majority of patients indicating an adaptive humoral immune response toward retinal antigens had occurred.

KEYWORDS:

• Tuberculosis
• sarcoidosis
• OX40
• uveitis
• autoantibodies
• retina
• CD25
• ANA
• ARA
• autoimmunity

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.