Effects of antiflammins on endotoxin-induced uveitis in rats
C. C. Chan, M. Ni, L. Miele, E. Cordella-Miele, M. Ferrick, A. B. Mukherjee and R. B. Nussenblatt
Laboratory of Immunology, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Md. 20892.
Antiflammins are phospholipase A2-inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, synthetic
oligopeptides derived from the region of the highest amino-acid sequence
similarity between uteroglobin and lipocortin I. Endotoxin-induced uveitis
is a model for anterior uveitis of the eye, which has been suggested to be
induced through phospholipase A2 activation. In a preliminary report we
demonstrated that topical administration of antiflammins could inhibit
endotoxin-induced uveitis in rats. In this study, the anti-inflammatory
effects of antiflammins were compared with those of corticosteroids on
endotoxin-induced uveitis as measured by phospholipase A2 enzyme activity,
inflammatory cell counts in the aqueous humor, and histopathologic
features. Antiflammins are as effective as corticosteroids in their ability
to suppress endotoxin-induced uveitis.
