Requirement of B7-mediated costimulation in the induction of experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis

PURPOSE. To study the role of costimulatory signaling through the CD28-B7 interaction in experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU). METHODS. Naive Lewis rats were immunized with insoluble melanin-associated antigen (MAA) derived from bovine iris and ciliary body. CTLA4-Fc, a recombinant protein comprised of the extracellular domain of human CTLA4 bound to mouse IgG2a Fc, was used to block the CD28-B7 interaction. A mutant version (CTLA4-Fc-mutant) was used as a control. The effect of CTLA4-Fc on the in vivo induction of disease with MAA was studied. Subsequently, the mechanism by which CTLA4-Fc blocked the interaction of CD28 and B7 was investigated in vivo, using the adoptive transfer of T cells derived from CTLA4-Fc-treated rats, and in vitro, using the proliferative response and cytokine production of MAA-T cells in the presence of CTLA4-Fc. RESULTS. CTLA4-Fc markedly reduced the incidence and severity of EAAU in Lewis rats after sensitization with MAA. The adoptive transfer of sensitized T cells from CTLA4-Fc-treated donors did not induce EAAU in naive recipients. CTLA4-Fc inhibited the expansion of antigen-specific MAA-T cells and the production of TNF-α. CONCLUSIONS. The costimulatory signal delivered through CD28-B7 is required for the induction and pathogenesis of EAAU. In the absence of this signal, antigen-specific expansion of MAA reactive T cells as well as production of TNF-α is inhibited. Abrogation of this costimulatory signal may be an important therapeutic option for EAAU.