PERIOCULAR INFLAMMATION IN MICE WITH EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS - A NEW EXPERIMENTAL BLEPHARITIS AND ITS MODULATION

Experimental systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be induced in mice by immunization with a human monoclonal anti-DNA Ab, bearing a major Id 16/6Id. Immunized mice initially produce Abs to 16/6Id, DNA and nuc lear Ags, and subsequently develop various clinical manifestations inc luding leukopenia and renal immune complex disease. MHC class I Ags pl ay a critical role in the induction and progression of experimental SL E. The present study reports that ocular changes also occur in mice wi th experimental SLE. The ocular disease is characterized by bilateral subacute and chronic inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis) with im mune complex IgG deposition and hypertrophic meibomian glands. The sev erity of ocular changes was strain dependent: most severe in 129 mice, less intense in BALB/c animals and only minimal in C3H.SW mice. No bl epharitis developed in mice deficient in MHC class I expression. Furth er, the disease was strongly inhibited in BALB/c mice treated with met himazole, an agent that has been shown to repress transcription of MHC class I. In these cases, there was no IgG deposition and a decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells in the eyelids. These observations thus suggest that, similar to the observation with experimental SLE, M HC class I is critical in the onset of this experimental autoimmune bl epharitis. The new experimental eye disease described here provides an animal model for chronic blepharitis in humans, a common condition fo r which such a model has been sought.