Skip to main content
Log in

Antilens antibodies in cataract and inflammatory eye disease: an evaluation of a new technique

  • Published:
International Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A new technique measuring serum antoantibodies to lens proteins, employing antigen linked to magnetisable cellulose particles and fluorescent end-point detection, was used to examine patients with senile cataract and inflammatory eye disease. 40% of patients with senile cataract had antibodies to lens proteins, as did 28% of patients with heterochromic cyclitis and 20% of patients with uveitis, while there were no positive sera from patients with scleritis. The single patient with lens-induced uveitis had a high titre, but so did some patients with senile cataract. With the incorporation of a standard curve this technique offers a reliable quantitative assay for lens autoantibodies. It may provide a valuable tool for the investigation of pathogenet ic mechanisms in cataract and inflammatory eye disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rahi AHS, Misra RN, Morgan G. Immunopathology of the lens. III. Humoral and cellular immune response to autologous lens antigens and their role in ocular inflammation. Br J Ophthalmol 1977; 61: 371–9.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wirostko E, Spalter HF. Lens-induced uveitis. Arch Opthalmol 1967; 78: 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Misra RN, Rahi AHS, Morgan G. Immunopathology of the lens. II. Humoral and cellular immune responses to homologous lens antigens and their roles in ocular inflammation. Br J Ophthalmol 1977; 61: 285–96

    Google Scholar 

  4. Rahi AHS, Misra RN, Morgan G. Immunopathology of the lens. I. Humoral and cellular immune responses to heterologous lens antigens and their roles in ocular inflammation. Br J Ophthalmol 1977; 61: 164–76.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Sandberg HO, Closs O. Lens crystallins and low-zone tolerance. In. Silverstein AM, O'Connor GR.: Immunology and Immunopathology of the Eye. Masson, New York. 1979: 325–30.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Fisher RF. The changes with age in the biophysical properties of the capsule of the human crystalline lens in relation to cataract. Interdiscipl Topics Geront 1978; 13: 131–42.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Maraini G, Mangili R. Differences in proteins and in the water balance of the lens in nuclear and cortical types of senile cataract. In. The Human Lens in Relation to Cataract. Ciba Foundation Symposium 19, Elsevier, Amsterdam. 1973: 79–97.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Sandberg HO, Closs O. The alpha and gamma crystallin content in aqueous humor of eyes with clear lenses and with cataracts. Exp Eye Res 1979; 28: 601–10.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Schumaker A, Christensen G, Arfeld D, Schenk W. Circulating anti lens antibody following extracapsular lens surgery. J Ocular Ther Surg 1985; 14: 17–24.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Goldschmidt L, Goldbaum M, Walker SM, Weigle WO. The immune response to homologous lens crystallin. I. Antibody production after lens injury. J Immunol 1982; 129: 1652–7.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Goldschmidt L, Goldbaum M, Walker SM, Weigle WO. The immune response to homologous lens crystallin. II. A model of ocular inflammation involving eye injuries at separate times. J Immunol 1982; 129: 1658–62.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sandberg HO, Closs O. The humoral immune response to alpha, beta and gamma crystallins of the human lens. Scand J Immunol 1979; 10: 549–54.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Sandberg HO, Closs O. The immune response to lens anti-gens. In. O'Connor GR, Chandler JW.: Advances in Immunology and Immunopathology of the Eye. Masson, New York. 1985: 151–4.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Gery I, Nussenblatt R, BenEzra D. Dissociation between humoral and cellular immune response to lens antigens. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1981; 20: 32–9.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Simpson W, Wild G, Figg K, Milford-Ward A. Human T-cell mediated response to homologous lens antigen. Exp Eye Res 1989: 48: 49–54.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Marak GE, Font RL, Weigle WO. Pathogenesis of lensinduced endophthalmitis. In. Silverstein AM, O'Connor GR.: Immunology and Immunopathology of the Eye. Masson, New York. 1979: 135–7.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Marak GE, Rao NA. Lens protein binding lymphocytes. Ophthalmic Res 1983; 15: 6–10.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Shine B, Patel M, Dawes C. Detection of autoantibodies in serum by antigens covalently linked to magnetisable solid phase. Clin Chem 1987; 33: 1564–5.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Nissen SH, Andersen P, Andersen HMK. Antibodies to lens antigens in cataract and after cataract surgery. Br J Ophthalmol 1981; 65: 63–6.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Luntz MH. Anti-uveal and anti-lens antibodies in uveitis and their significance. Exp Eye Res 1968; 7: 561–9.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Deschenes J, Baines M, Anteka A. Investigation of antilens antibodies in uveitis and cataract. In. ARVO Abstracts. CV Mosby, St.Louis. 1989: 83.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hackett E, Thompson A. Anti-lens antibody in human sera. Lancet 1964; ii: 663–6.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Murray P. Immunology of Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis. In. de Oliveira F. Ophthalmology Today. Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam. 1988: 63–6.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Murray PI, Dinning WJ, Rahi AHS. Immune responses in heterochromic cyclitis. In. Secchi AG, Fregona IA.: Modern Trends in Immunology and Immunopathology of the Eye. Masson, Milan. 1989: 295–7.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sandberg HO. The alpha-crystallin content of aqueous humour in cortical, nuclear, and complicated cataracts. Exp Eye Res 1976; 22: 75–84.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Secchi AG. Cataracts in uveitis. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK 1982; 102: 390–4.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Patel, M., Shine, B. & Murray, P.I. Antilens antibodies in cataract and inflammatory eye disease: an evaluation of a new technique. Int Ophthalmol 14, 97–100 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00154208

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00154208

Key words

Navigation