A United States study has revealed new insights into how the eye handles inflammation, particularly in autoimmune uveitis.
Published in The American Journal of Pathology,1 the research from Dr Sue Menko at Thomas Jefferson University builds on her earlier findings that immune cells are recruited to the lens surface during acute injury and prolonged inflammation elsewhere in the eye.
An article on the Thomas Jefferson University website said Dr Menko’s team discovered that specific immune cells – macrophages with an immunoregulatory phenotype and regulatory T cells (Tregs) – are actively drawn to the lens surface during periods of inflammation.2 These immune cells work together to restore balance and reduce inflammation. Notably, they stay on the lens surface until the inflammation is resolved.
“Debunking the thought that the eye could not care for itself is a big deal,” said Dr Menko. “This helps us understand disease processes like uveitis and how they’re resolved in the eye. Maintaining a non-inflammatory condition in the eye is crucial to preserve vision, and we now know that the eye has inherent mechanisms to do that.”
Debunking the thought that the eye could not care for itself is a big deal…
Reference
- Muse Q. Researchers Discover New Role of Immune Cells in Eye Health (web article) available at: nexus.jefferson.edu/science-and-technology/jefferson-investigates-equity-in-liver-transplantation-immunity-in-the-eye-inflammation-in-multiple-sclerosis/#eye-lens [accessed Nov 2024].
