FIG. 4.

Expression of the AAV-vectored TatM013 gene product inhibits the inflammatory response observed in the endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) model. (A) Fundus of mice injected intravitreally with either AAV-GFP (left eye) or AAV-sGFP-TatM013 (right eye). Bright-field and fluorescence images of a noninjected eye (No Vector) are shown for comparison. (B) One week later, three mice were injected intravitreally with 175 ng of LPS (both eyes), and their vitreous humor was harvested 24 hr later. The secreted IL-1β concentration was quantified by ELISA (average±SEM). (C) Representative micrographs from eyes injected with either GFP or sGFP-TatM013 AAV vector after induction of uveitis (with 25 ng of LPS). Paraffin-embedded eyes were sectioned and stained (hematoxylin–eosin, H&E). Bright-field images were taken at original magnifications of ×5 and ×10 to observe infiltrating cells. (D) Expression of the TatM013 gene product from AAV decreased inflammation in the EIU mouse model. Five mice were injected as described in (A). Twenty-four hours after the injection of 25 ng of LPS mouse eyes were harvested and processed for paraffin sections. The eye sections were stained with H&E and the infiltrating cells were counted by a masked observer (average±SEM). vg, vector genomes. *p≤0.05. Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/hum