The Immunologic Response of Rabbits to Homologous and Heterologous Corneal and Uveal Tissue

Abstract

Naturally occurring antibody for uvea, but not cornea, was demonstrable in normal rabbit sera by the complement fixation test, and is apparently the same as that previously found by Kidd and Friedewald to be reactive with other rabbit tissues. In addition, a naturally occurring agglutinin for tanned red cells treated with rabbit corneal extract was found in rabbit, chicken, guinea pig and human sera. This agglutinin may be a nonantibody substance. The injection of rabbits with homologous cornea or uvea failed to produce convincing evidence of an immune response either by the criteria of serology or hypersensitivity. However, a reaction between rabbit sera and uvea was noted in the complement fixation test and was associated with natural antibody and anticomplementariness of immune sera. Cross-reacting, or organ specific, antigens were found in the corneas and in the uveas of different species. By the use of these antigens from a heterologous species, it was possible to stimulate the production of antibody in the rabbit for rabbit cornea or uvea. The failure of these antigens to sensitize the homologous species suggests that they are haptens which owe their antigenicity to attachment to proteins of foreign species. These organ specific antigens from the uvea, like the Kidd-Friedewald antigen present in various animal tissues, were found to be quite labile. Although naturally occurring and acquired antibody for cornea and uvea were present in these animals, gross pathology of the eye tissues was not found.