Local adoptive immunity in the eye. II. Ocular response following lymph node allograft and specific antigenic challenge.

The rabbit anterior chamber was used for implantation of specifically sensitized allogeneic lymph node tissue. Initial vascularizaton was followed by a primary uveitis corresponding to a local graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) which resolved after 4 to 6 days. Intracorneal injection of specific antigen in quiescent eyes bearing viable lymph node allografts was followed by an intense inflammatory reaction characterized by iris hyperemia, flare and cells in the anterior chamber, and varying degrees of corneal clouding and occasionally Wessely ring formation. Microscopic examination of reactive eyes showed evidence of secondary reactive follicle formation in the transplant, increased number of plasma cells both within the graft and surrounding iris stroma, and an early polymorphonuclear response in the anterior chamber and cornea. While increased levels of precipitating antibody could be demonstrated from aqueous of reacting eyes, recipient animals were uniformly negative in response to skin test with specific antigen, and no serum antibody could be demonstrated by Ouchterlony agar diffusion. No inflammatory response resulted following nonspecific antigenic challenge or specific challenge after rejection of the graft. Prior irradiation (1,000 r.) of allograft recipients depressed both the GVHR and the specific antigen-dependent inflammatory reaction. The results indicate that adoptive immunity can be transferred to the eye of a systemically nonreactive host by viable immunologically competent allogeneic lymphoid cells prior to their rejection, and that significant anterior uveitis results from the interaction of antigen and locally produced specific antibody.