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Cellular immune responses to retinal antigens in retinitis pigmentosa

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Abstract

Patients with retinitis pigmentosa and a group of controls were tested for their cellular immune response toward two retinal proteins, S-antigen and inter-photoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), as well as their reaction against two synthetic peptides (“M” and “N”) derived from the sequence of S-antigen and peptide “R14”, derived from IRBP. Positive responses to the retinal antigens were found in larger proportions and with higher levels in the patient group than in the controls. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant in their response to S-antigen, but the patients reacted better than the controls against the other antigens as well. Of particular interest was the finding that several patients responded to both retinal proteins and/or to their peptides. These patients suffered from severe retinal changes and the data are thus interpreted as suggesting that the responses to the retinal antigens are secondary to these changes and to non-physiological release of retinal antigens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

    Joyce H. Yamamoto & Osamu Okajima

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830, Fukuoka, Japan

    Manabu Mochizuki

  3. National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, USA

    Toshimichi Shinohara, Barbara Wiggert, Gerald J. Chader, Igal Gery & Robert B. Nussenblatt

Authors
  1. Joyce H. Yamamoto
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  2. Osamu Okajima
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  3. Manabu Mochizuki
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  4. Toshimichi Shinohara
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  5. Barbara Wiggert
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  6. Gerald J. Chader
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  7. Igal Gery
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  8. Robert B. Nussenblatt
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Yamamoto, J.H., Okajima, O., Mochizuki, M. et al. Cellular immune responses to retinal antigens in retinitis pigmentosa. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 230, 119–123 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164648

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164648

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