Carmen F. Merryman

S-antigen: Characterization of a pathogenic epitope which mediates experimental autoimmune uveitis and pinealitis in Lewis rats

S-antigen (48K protein) is a photoreceptor cell protein highly pathogenic for the induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and intimately involved in the visual process. EAU is characterized, in part, as a T-cell mediated autoimmune disease which results in a severe inflammation of the uveal tract, and pineal gland. In order to determine specific sites in S-antigen responsible for its pathogenicity we synthesized twenty-three peptides, corresponding to the entire 404 amino acid sequence, and tested each peptide for its ability to induce EAU in Lewis rats. One peptide, peptide M (18 amino acids in length), was found to be highly pathogenic and consistently induced an EAU that was identical to the disease caused by native S-antigen. Clinically, the disease that developed in the eye was characterized by iris and pericorneal hyperemia, followed by inflammatory exudates in the anterior and vitreous chambers. Histopathologically a severe inflammatory response was observed which resulted in the complete destruction of the photoreceptor cell layer of the retina. In order to more fully characterize this pathogenic site, 14 additional smaller peptides (eight to eighteen amino acids in length) corresponding to the left and right portions of peptide M were synthesized. Of these peptides, peptide M16L, M15L, and M12L induced EAU, further localizing this pathogenic site to a small well-characterized region of S-antigen consisting of twelve amino acids. In addition, animals with ocular inflammatory disease had an associated pinealitis characterized by a lymphocytic infiltration of the subcapsular and central area of the pineal gland. The significance of these findings and the relationship of S-antigen in the pathogenesis of EAU and other autoimmune diseases is discussed.

S-antigen: identification of the MAbA9-C6 monoclonal antibody binding site and the uveitopathogenic sites

The location of the monoclonal antibody, MAbA9-C6, binding site and two uveitopathogenic sites in S-antigen have been determined. Using cyanogen bromide, S-antigen was cleaved into nine peptides, designated C1 to C9. MAbA9-C6 bound selectively to one large peptide designated C5, consisting of 122 amino acids. Six peptides (20 to 22 amino acids in length) designated 2,3,K,L,N and M, corresponding to the entire length of peptide C5, were synthesized chemically. In a radioimmunoassay and a dot-binding immunoassay, MAbA9-C6 bound selectively to one of the six peptides, peptide 3, indicating that this region of peptide C5 contains the MAbA9-C6 binding site. Twelve smaller peptides (ten amino acids in length), corresponding to the amino acid sequence of peptide 3, were synthesized and used in a competitive inhibition binding assay. These studies localized the MAbA9-C6 binding site to a small region within peptide 3. In addition, peptide K and peptide M were highly pathogenic for the induction of experimental auto-immune uveitis (EAU). Clinical and histological evidence of a severe uveo-retinitis, indistinguishable from that seen with native S-antigen, was documented in Lewis rats immunized with the synthetic peptides (50 micrograms), 11-12 days following immunization. Our results show that the MAbA9-C6 binding site and the two uveitopathogenic sites lie in close proximity to each other within the region of S-antigen corresponding to peptide C5. Furthermore, microcomputer analysis of the average hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity values of the amino acid sequence corresponding to peptide C5 shows that the MAbA9-C6 binding site and one uveitopathogenic site (peptide K) lie on the adjacent peaks. The significance of these findings and their relationship to the role of S-antigen in the pathogenesis of EAU and the phototransduction of vision is discussed.

Identification of a potent new pathogenic site in human retinal S-antigen which induces experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in LEW rats☆

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the eye which can be induced in LEW rats by immunization with either human or bovine S-antigen (S-Ag). In previous reports, two nonimmunodominant pathogenic sites were found using synthetic peptides corresponding to conserved sequences at amino acid residues 303-314 and 286-297 of the bovine sequence. In this report, a 20-residue synthetic peptide encompassing amino acids 343-362 located near the C-terminus was found to be highly immunopathogenic in LEW rats. The onset of EAU was observed at as early as 8 days when high doses of a peptide-encompassing residues 343-362 were used. EAU was elicited with as little as 0.5 microgram of peptide per animal. Smaller peptides from this region were also tested for uveitogenicity, further refining the site to 13 amino acids. Uveitogenic T cell lines were made to this site in two ways; first, by the in vitro selection of a bulk T cell line raised to human S-Ag with peptide 343-362. Second, by the in vitro selection of a peptide-specific line from an animal immunized with peptide 352-364, which corresponds to the minimal uveitogenic site. Both of these lines adoptively transferred EAU to LEW rats, further establishing the pathogenicity of this site. A proliferative site distinct from, but overlapping, the uveitogenic site was also found. The potent uveitopathogenicity of peptides from this region indicates that it is a major pathogenic site responsible for EAU induced in LEW rats by immunization with human S-Ag.

Identification of T cell recognition sites in S-antigen: Dissociation of proliferative and pathogenic sites

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) is a predominantly CD4+ T cell-mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease of the retina and uveal tract of the eye and the pineal gland. S-antigen, a protein found in retinal photoreceptor cells and pinealocytes, is a potent agent for the induction of EAU in susceptible species and strains. In order to identify the T cell recognition sites of S-antigen responsible for its uveitogenicity and proliferative responses, cyanogen bromide (CB) fragments as well as synthetic peptides were used to test the proliferative responses of two uveitogenic T cell lines, R9 and R17, prepared against native bovine and human S-antigen, respectively. Two nonoverlapping synthetic peptides which are known to actively induce EAU, amino acid residues 286-297 and 303-314 of the bovine sequence, were unable to induce proliferative responses in either S-antigen-specific T cell line. However, both of these sites were adjacent to synthetic peptides, residues 273-292 and 317-328, respectively, which were unable to actively induce EAU, but elicited strong proliferative responses from T cell lines raised to bovine and human S-antigen. Repeated in vitro selection of the R9 T cell line with a synthetic peptide containing one of these proliferative sites, residues 317-328, gave rise to a transiently uveitogenic T cell line. Several species-specific T cell epitopes were identified, but none of these were found to be involved in a uveitogenic response. Our results indicate that spatially separated and distinct T cell epitopes are present in S-antigen which are responsible for the active induction of EAU, lymphocyte proliferation, and the ability to adoptively transfer EAU.

Unigenic and multigenicI region control of the immune responses of mice to the GAT10 and GLΦ-GLT terpolymers

Recombinant strains of mice with known alleles in theI region of theH-2 complex were used to map theH-2 linked immune response genes controlling responsiveness to random terpolymers GAT10 and GLΦ. TheIr-GAT gene was mapped to either theIA orIB subregions. In contrast, data obtained in the GLΦ-GLT system indicated multigenic control. The responsiveness of the B10.A(3R), B10.A(5R), and B10.S(9R) recombinants indicated that one immune response gene,IrGLΦ-GLTA, mapped to the right ofIB, i.e., in theIC subregion. The nonresponsiveness of the B10.A(1R), B10.A(2R), B10.M(17R), and AQR mice having responderICd alleles butIAk-IBk nonresponder alleles and the positive response of a (C57BL/6 × A/J)F1 hybrid derived from two nonresponder parental strains indicated the presence of a second gene inIA-IB subregions,Ir-GLΦ-GLTB. The interaction between these two genes, each present in a differentI subregion, controls the immune response.

Human S-antigen: Characterization of uveitopathogenic sites

Human S-antigen (HSA) is a 50,000 molecular weight photoreceptor cell protein capable of inducing an experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in susceptible animal strains. In order to determine specific sites responsible for its uveitopathogenicity, we synthesized 39 overlapping peptides corresponding to its entire 404 amino acid sequence and tested each peptide for its ability to induce an EAU in Lewis rats. Two synthetic peptides designated peptide HSA 319 (amino acid positions 286 to 305) and peptide HSA 320 (amino acid positions 306 to 325) were uveitopathogenic when used at 50 and 100 micrograms immunizing doses. Smaller peptides corresponding to the amino, mid, and carboxy terminal portions of each peptide further refined each uveitopathogenic site to 12 amino acids. A computerized analysis of the amino acid sequence of S-antigen indicates that these uveitopathogenic sites are complex and may be related to a two-fold symmetry in the molecule. Our present and previous studies provide a basis for the uveitopathogenicity of human and bovine S-antigen in the pathogenesis of EAU as well as the pathogenesis of certain forms of uveitis in humans.

Conserved T cell receptor V gene usage by uveitogenic T cells

Retinal S-antigen is widely used to study the LEW rat model of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). In this report, we have examined the T cell receptor V gene usage of several T cell lines recognizing either pathogenic or nonpathogenic sites on S-antigen to determine whether the V alpha 510 and V beta 510 rat homologues of the murine V alpha 2 and V beta 8 families, respectively, are used by uveitogenic T cells. Using cDNA probes for a LEW rat T cell receptor specific for the encephalitogenic determinant of myelin basic protein, we have found that in the retinal S-antigen/EAU model for autoimmune disease, pathogenicity correlates with usage of those rat V genes. Thus, all of the pathogenic lines were found to express T cell receptors of the V beta 510 and V alpha 510 families; conversely, V beta 510 usage was not detected in any of the nonpathogenic lines. Usage of these V regions has been associated with pathogenicity in the murine and rat models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and now with S-antigen-induced EAU.

Human IRBP: Characterization of uveitopathogenic sites

Human interstitial or interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP) is a 136,000 molecular weight photoreceptor cell protein capable of inducing an experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) in susceptible animal strains. In order to determine specific sites in human IRBP responsible for its uveitopathogenicity, we synthesized 60 peptides, corresponding to its entire 1262 amino acid sequence, and tested each peptide for its ability to induce an EAU in Lewis rats. Three peptides with extensive amino acid sequence homology, designated HIRBP 715, HIRBP 730, and HIRBP 745, were uveitopathogenic when used at a 50 micrograms immunizing dose. The most potent peptide for the induction of EAU was HIRBP 715. Histopathologically a severe inflammatory response was present in the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. In these eyes the retina was infiltrated extensively with inflammatory cells. Focally the photoreceptor cell layer of the retina was destroyed. There was an associated subretinal exudate as well as an occasional subretinal granuloma. The clinical and histopathological changes in the eyes of rats immunized with peptides HIRBP 730 and HIRBP 745 were less severe as compared to HIRBP 715. One additional peptide, HIRBP 720, without extensive amino acid sequence homology to other regions of human IRBP, was also uveitopathogenic under our experimental conditions. Our study identifies multiple uveitopathogenic sites in the human IRBP molecule and, based on the primary amino acid sequence three of these sites are interrelated by several gene duplications which occurred some 600-800 million years ago in the native IRBP molecule.

Characterization of a newIr-GLT gene and its location in theI-region of theH-2 complex

The data presented in this paper characterize the immune responses in mice to the two related random terpolymers, poly(Glu57Lys38Tyr5) (GLT5) and poly (Glu55Lys34Tyr15) (GLT15), which are similar to the previously reported response against the terpolymer poly(Glu58Lys38Phe4) (GLØ). Responsiveness is linked to theH-2d,H-2ja,H-2q andH-2r haplotypes. The observed responsiveness of the recombinant strain B10.A(5R)tentatively maps theIr-GLT gene to the right of theIB subregion, i. e., in theIC subregion which codes for lymphocyte alloantigens. If confirmed this would be the firstIr gene to be mapped in theIC subregion.

Multigenic control of immune responses of inbred mice against the terpolymers poly(Glu57Lys38Ala5) and poly(Glu54Lys36Ala10) and linkage withH-2 haplotype

Results of immunizations of recombinant inbred and congenic strains of mice with the random polymers poly(glu57 lys38ala5) or GLA5 and poly(glu54lys36ala10) or GLA10 indicate that there is an association of the responsiveness with theH-2 haplotype. Although the C57BL/6J mice (H-2b haplotype) are “non responders”, the C57BL/6By originally derived from mice of the same haplotype are responders. The immune response pattern of recombinant strains carrying haplotypes derived by crossing over within theH-2 complex indicate that the responsiveness is under control of anIr gene which maps to the left of theIB subregion. Studies with the backcross mice indicated multigenic control of the responsiveness, with one locus beingH-2 linked and another locus segregating independently ofH-2.