New development in molecular genetic and molecular pharmacological studies on intractable intraocular inflammation.

对白塞氏病和Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada（VKH）病进行关联分析。在全基因组的23，465个微卫星标记中，有147个标记（0.63%）被选为白塞氏病的易感基因区域。在VKH疾病中，这是日本流行的葡萄膜炎，已知与HLA-DR区域的强关联。然而，在6号染色体的长臂上检测到其他关联区域。我们现在正在分析这个区域的功能。在难治性眼内炎症组中，房水和血液中的一氧化氮水平显著高于对照组。另一方面，用抗氧化化合物治疗显著抑制眼部炎症。结果表明，这些化合物显示出显著的抗炎作用。例如，用北方国家的植物群蓝金银花的粗提物治疗，具有强的抗氧化作用，以剂量依赖的方式显著抑制难治性眼内炎症模型中的炎症;免疫调节性粒细胞去除疗法被揭示显著有效地减少白塞病中轻度威胁性眼部炎症发作的频率。对病程在5年以内的患者，尤其是病程在5年以内的患者，本疗法是有效的。

Association analysis was carried out for the Behcet's disease and the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. In the 23,465 microsatellite markers on whole genome, 147 markers (0.63%) was picked up as susceptible genes areas of the Behcet's disease. In the VKH disease, which is the popular uveitis in Japan, is known about the strong association with HLA-DR area. However, other association area is detected on the long arm of chromosome 6. We are now analyzing the functions of this area.In refractory intraocular inflammation groups, nitric oxide levels in the aqueous humor and blood were significantly higher than that in the control group. On the other hand, Treatment with antioxidative compounds significantly suppressed ocular inflammation. The results indicate that these compounds show a significant anti-inflammatory effect. For instance, Treatment with the crude extract by blue honeysuckle, the flora of north countries, has a strong anti-oxidative effect, significantly suppressed inflammation in refractory intraocular inflammation model in a dose-dependent manner.Immunomodulatory granulocytapheresis therapy was revealed to be significantly effective to reduce frequency of light threatening ocular inflammatory attacks in Behcet's disease. And it was also indicated that this therapy was effective in the patient especially with less than 5 years duration of the disease from onset.