CD4(-CELL() T)CD8(+) T-CELL RATIO IN THE ANTERIOR-CHAMBER OF THE EYE AFTER PENETRATING INJURY AND ITS COMPARISON WITH NORMAL AQUEOUS SAMPLES/

We have recently reported that significantly more CD8(+) T-cell activi ty is present in the aqueous humor compared to peripheral blood. The a im of the current study is to investigate the effect of the ocular tra uma on the number of the T lymphocyte subsets in the aqueous humor. CD 4(+)/CD8(+) T-cell ratios in the aqueous and blood samples of 12 patie nts who suffered from traumatic iridocyclitis because of a corneal per foration were compared to those of patients with senile cataracts. We found a relatively higher CD4(+)/CD8(+) cell ratio in the aqueous samp les of traumatized patients than cataractous patients. Meanwhile, no d ifference was present between the aqueous and blood samples of the tra umatized patients with respect to the above-mentioned ratio. We sugges t that one of the most important factors in maintaining a lower CD4(+) /CD8(+) cell ratio in normal aqueous humor compared to peripheral bloo d is an intact blood-aqueous barrier. Blood-aqueous barrier may play a participating role in the pathogenesis of immunosuppressive propertie s of the anterior chamber of the eye by establishing higher CD8(+) T-c ell activity in the aqueous humor relative to the peripheral blood. (C ) 1998 Japanese Ophthalmological Society.