Evidence for Gut-Eye Axis in Acute Anterior Uveitis
Purpose
The precise pathogenesis behind the HLA-B27-associated inflammatory diseases acute anterior uveitis (AAU) and Axial Spondyloarthritis (AxSpa) are still under investigation. Recent studies have implicated RORγt-dependent immune signatures in the pathogenesis of related inflammatory diseases. We developed a novel multi-parametric flow cytometry panel in this study to identify immune dysregulation of these signatures in AAU or AxSpa.
Methods
Antibody panels examined cytokine production (GM-CSF, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-22 and IFNγ) by Mucosal-Associated Invariant T (MAIT) cells and conventional CD4/CD8 T cells. Isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from AAU patients, AAU patients with concomitant AxSpa or healthy controls (n=9-12/group) was performed. Cells were polyclonally stimulated with PMA/ionomycin and analyzed by flow cytometry. Data were inspected in FlowJo (Tree star Inc.). Statistical analysis was performed with Kruskall-Wallis test with Dunn’s correction for multiple comparisons.
Results
MAIT cells exhibited markedly increased IL-17F production in AAU patients with concomitant AxSpA. A significantly increased frequency of IL-22+ve CD8+ T cells as well as IL-22+ve MAIT cells were also observed in those with AAU alone. For conventional lymphocytes, we observed a significantly increased frequency of GM-CSF+ve CD8 T cells in AAU patients vs healthy controls.
Conclusion
To our knowledge, this is the first study to implicate MAIT cells in AAU pathogenesis and is consistent with a gut-eye association contributing to AAU.
Conflict of interest
No
Author 1
Last name
HUANG
Initials of first name(s)
J
Department
Ophthalmology
City
Keelung
Country
Taiwan
Author 2
Last name
Mitchell
Initials of first name(s)
C
City
Portland
Country
United States
Author 3
Last name
Schleisman
Initials of first name(s)
M
City
Portland
Country
United States
Author 4
Last name
Watson
Initials of first name(s)
L
City
Portland
Country
United States
Author 5
Last name
Rosenbaum
Initials of first name(s)
J
Department
Ophthalmology
City
Portland
Country
United States
Author 6
Last name
Asquith
Initials of first name(s)
M
Department
Ophthalmology
City
Portland
Country
United States
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