Complement System and the Eye

描述（由申请人提供）：补体系统是一个主要组成部分 免疫系统是先天性免疫系统的一部分，与免疫系统平行或协同作用。 补体激活提供了一种有效的宿主防御机制， 外源生物通过产生效应分子，参与细胞 死亡和免疫/炎症反应。因为它具有强烈的炎症和 几种补体调节蛋白的破坏能力严格 控制补体激活。这些蛋白质提供识别系统， 区分自我与非自我，从而限制对宿主组织的损伤。的 眼睛的前房是免疫特权部位， 在该位点的补体激活对于保持视力可能是重要的。我们 结果表明四种补体调节蛋白即Crry，CD 59， MCP和MCP在正常大鼠眼内表达， 在实验性自身免疫性前葡萄膜炎（EAAU）期间上调。 此外，正常人眼内液还含有尚未鉴定的55 kDa补体抑制蛋白。这些结果证明， 补体调节系统存在于眼睛中以保护眼组织免受 通过补体激活事件的破坏。识别和 眼睛中补体调节蛋白的表征将是一个主要的 进一步了解眼内炎症和保护 the eye.这些研究应该提供有关补语相关性的见解 调节蛋白在葡萄膜炎中的作用， 抑制眼内炎症反应和组织损伤。具体 本提案的目的是： 1.补体调节蛋白在实验性自身免疫性前壁损伤中的作用 葡萄膜炎（EAAU）， 2.可溶性补体调节蛋白对EAAU的抑制，和 3.正常人55 kDa补体抑制因子的鉴定 房水/玻璃体。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The complement system is a major component of innate immunity and acts in parallel or in concert with the immune system. Complement activation provides an effective host defense mechanism against foreign organisms by generating effector molecules, which are involved in cell death and immune/inflammatory responses. Because of its potent inflammatory and destructive capabilities several complement regulatory proteins strictly control complement activation. These proteins provide a recognition system to distinguish self from non-self, thus limiting damage to host tissue. The anterior chamber of the eye is an immune privileged site and control of complement activation at this site may be important in preserving vision. Our results demonstrate that four complement regulatory proteins namely Crry, CD59, MCP and DAF are expressed within the normal rat eye and their expression is upregulated during experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU). Furthermore, normal human intraocular fluid also contains a yet unidentified 55 kDa complement inhibitory protein. These results provide evidence that a complement regulatory system exists in the eye to protect ocular tissue from destruction by complement activating events. Identification and characterization of complement regulatory proteins in the eye would be a major advance toward the understanding of intraocular inflammation and protection of the eye. These studies should provide insights into the relevance of complement regulatory proteins in uveitis and may be therapeutically useful for suppressing intraocular inflammatory responses and tissue damage. The specific aims of this proposal are: 1. Role of complement regulatory proteins in experimental autoimmnune anterior uveitis (EAAU), 2. Suppression of EAAU by soluble complement regulatory protein(s), and 3. Characterization of 55 kDa complement inhibitor present in normal human aqueous humor/vitreous.