Mechanisms Underlying Autoimmune Uveitis

Autoimmune uveitis is a group of HLA-associated inflammatory diseases of the eye, which can cause blindness. Patients exhibit cellular and humoral responses to immunologically privileged antigens resident in the eye. Animal models of uveitis, induced with these retinal antigens, serve an important role in studying disease mechanisms and therapies. On the basis of animal and clinical studies, T lymphocytes are believed to play a central role in pathogenesis. T-cell-targeted therapeutic approaches are showing promising results in clinical trials.