Resident tissue macrophages within the normal rat iris lack immunosuppressive activity and are effective antigen-presenting cells
- Author(s)
- Steptoe, RJ; McMenamin, PG; Holt, PG;
- Details
- Publication Year 2000,Volume 8,Issue #3,Page 177-187
- Journal Title
- OCULAR IMMUNOLOGY AND INFLAMMATION
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- Despite extensive study of the numerous immunoregulatory mechanisms that contribute to the immune-privileged nature of the anterior chamber (AC) of the eye, little is known of the functional nature of antigen-presenting cells (APC) present in the tissues adjoining the AC. In the present study, we have compared the antigen-presenting capacity of dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages isolated from the normal rat iris. Whereas iris DC exhibited a potent ability to stimulate resting allogeneic T cells in MLR cultures (an in-vitro correlate of the ability to induce primary T cell responses), resident iris macrophages displayed negligible MLR-stimulatory capacity. Significantly, iris macrophages could efficiently elicit proliferation of primed antigen-specific T cells (an in-vitro correlate of the ability to act as local APC in secondary responses). This antigen-presenting activity was approximately half that of fully mature iris DC and considerably greater than that of freshly isolated iris DC. A key contributor to the effectiveness of resident iris macrophage antigen presentation was considered to be the absence of lymphocytostatic control of T cell proliferation exerted by these cells. The results indicate dichotomous but complementary roles for DC (immune surveillance) and macrophages (local antigen presentation in secondary responses) in this tissue.
- Publisher
- SWETS ZEITLINGER PUBLISHERS
- Keywords
- POSITIVE DENDRITIC CELLS; EXPERIMENTAL AUTOIMMUNE UVEORETINITIS; IMMUNE DEVIATION ACAID; ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES; ANTERIOR-CHAMBER; AQUEOUS-HUMOR; DOWN-REGULATION; IFN-GAMMA; INDUCTION; EYE
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1076/0927-3948(200009)8:3;1-K;FT177
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- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2000-01-01 12:00:00