IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS OF LINOMIDE IN ANIMALS IMMUNIZED WITH IMMUNOPATHOGENIC RETINAL ANTIGENS - DISSOCIATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT IMMUNE FUNCTIONS

Linomide (LS-2616, quinoline-3-carboxamide) has been reported to exert a diverse range of effects on the immune system. On one hand, this dr ug was found to stimulate the immune system and to enhance activities such as DTH or allograft rejection. On the other hand, linomide was sh own to inhibit the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyeli tis and myasthenia gravis, as well as the development of diabetes in n on-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Here we report the effects of linomide i n animals immunized with uveitogenic retinal antigens. Treatment with linomide completely inhibited the development of experimental autoimmu ne uveoretinitis (EAU) in mice immunized with interphotoreceptor retin oid-binding protein and markedly suppressed EAU in rats immunized with S-antigen (S-Ag). In addition, linomide-treated rats exhibited reduce d antibody production and lymphocyte proliferative response to S-Ag. I n contrast to these suppressive activities, linomide treatment did not affect the development of adoptively transferred EAU in rats and mode rately enhanced the DTH reactions to S-Ag in immunized rats in which E AU and other immune responses to this antigen were suppressed.