| Presentation preference | Oral presentation |
| Title | Effects of VLA-4 Integrin Inhibitor on Leucocyte Subset Migration in Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis |
| Accept poster if oral is not possible ? | Yes |
| Purpose | VLA-4 integrin primarily affects leukocyte adhesion and trafficking. This study investigated its role in experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). |
| Methods | Interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein induced EAU mice model was used. Topical VLA-4 inhibitor (GW559090) (10mg/ml and 30mg/ml) was given preventively and therapeutically. Clinical severity was evaluated at peak disease. T cell subsets within the eye were investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. Sub-populations of leucocytes in blood, eye and lymph nodes were analysed with flow cytometry. |
| Results | opical GW559090 reduced EAU severity (P < 0.01) therapeutically and preventively, by reducing CD45+ leucocytes in the retinal tissues (P < 0.05), but not affecting retinal structure. The Th17 cells were reduced (each P ≤ 0.001), and the Th1 cells increased (each P ≤ 0.02) only locally. CD11b+CD64+ monocytes increased in the eye by GW559090 treatment. A decrease in CD11b+ dendritic cells was observed locally and systemically (each P ≤ 0.001). |
| Conclusion | VLA-4 integrin inhibitor may exert a modulatory effect in EAU by selectively blocking Th17 cell migration across the blood-retinal barrier without affecting systemic T cell subsets. VLA-4 integrin-directed inhibition could be clinically relevant in Th17-dominant cases of uveitis. |
| Conflict of interest | No |
Author 1
| Last name | CHEN |
| Initials of first name(s) | YH |
| Department | UCL institute of Ophthalmology, University College London |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Author 2
| Last name | Eskandarpour |
| Initials of first name(s) | M |
| Department | UCL institute of Ophthalmology, University College London |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Author 3
| Last name | Lightman |
| Initials of first name(s) | Sue |
| Department | Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom. |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
Author 4
| Last name | Calder |
| Initials of first name(s) | V |
| Department | UCL institute of Ophthalmology, University College London |
| City | London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
