Figure 1.

Induced and spontaneous models of autoimmune uveitis. Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis (EAU) is induced by active immunization of WT B10.RIII mice with the retinal autoantigen IRBP in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Histology pictures show healthy and uveitic retina (H&E). A uveitogenic T cell line was established from draining LN cells of EAU-induced WT mice by several rounds of in vitro activation with uveitogenic peptide IRBP161-180. This cell line is highly pathogenic when adoptively transferred to naïve WT mice. The most highly antigen-responsive TCRαβ cloned from this cell line was used for generation of IRBP-specific TCR transgenic mice. A TCR transgenic line, R161H, develops spontaneous uveitis around weaning age.