Ocular immunology in equine recurrent uveitis.
Abstract: Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a disease with high prevalence and relevance for the equine population, since it results in blindness. Over the last decade, important advancements have been made in our understanding of the underlying immune responses in this disease. ERU is mediated by an autoaggressive Th1 response directed against several retinal proteins. Interphotoreceptor-retinoid binding protein (IRBP) and cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP) are capable to induce ERU-like disease in experimental horses, with the unique possibility to activate relapses in a well-defined manner. Further, proteomic evidence now suggests that retinal Mueller glial cells (RMG) may play a fatal role in uveitic disease progression by directly triggering inflammation processes through the expression and secretion of interferon-gamma. Ongoing relapses in blind eyes can be associated with stable expression of the major autoantigens in ERU retinas. This review briefly summarizes the most significant developments in uveitis immune response research.
Publication Date: 2008-12-17 PubMed ID: 19046272DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-5224.2008.00625.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Review
Summary
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This research article discusses the progress made in understanding the immune responses in equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), a disease prevalent in horses causing blindness. The research identifies the role of retinal proteins, Mueller glial cells, and ongoing relapses in disease progression and provides a comprehensive review of related studies.
Understanding of Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)
- Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a significant disease that affects horses, leading to eventual blindness.
- The past decade has seen substantial advancements in the understanding of the immune responses that underpin ERU.
The Role of Retinal Proteins in ERU
- The disease is mediated by an auto aggressive Th1 response that is directed against several retinal proteins. These proteins include Interphotoreceptor-retinoid binding protein (IRBP) and cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP).
- IRBP and CRALBP are known to induce ERU-like disease in experimental horses, and they even have the unique ability to activate relapses in a well-defined manner.
Role of Retinal Mueller Glial Cells (RMG) in ERU
- There is proteomic evidence suggesting that retinal Mueller glial cells (RMG) could play a detrimental role in the progression of uveitic disease.
- RMG may contribute to the disease by directly triggering inflammatory processes through the expression and secretion of interferon-gamma.
Ongoing Relapses in ERU
- Ongoing relapses, even in blind eyes, may be associated with the stable expression of major autoantigens in ERU retinas.
Summary of Uveitis Immune Response Research
- The paper offers a brief summary of the most important developments in research regarding uveitis immune response, providing a helpful overview for those interested in studying ERU and related diseases.
Cite This Article
APA
Deeg CA.
(2008).
Ocular immunology in equine recurrent uveitis.
Vet Ophthalmol, 11 Suppl 1, 61-65.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-5224.2008.00625.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Animal Physiology, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany. deeg@tiph.vetmed.unimuenchen.de
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
- Autoimmune Diseases / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Interferon-gamma / analysis
- Neuroglia / chemistry
- Neuroglia / immunology
- Proteome / analysis
- Recurrence
- Retina / chemistry
- Retina / immunology
- Uveitis / immunology
- Uveitis / veterinary
References
This article includes 54 references
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Young KAS, Schnabel LV, Gilger BC. Cell and Gene Therapy in Equine Ocular Disease. Vet Ophthalmol 2026 Mar;29(2):e70151.
- Kirmse L, Thieme K, Doherr MG, Eule JC. Evaluation of Laboratory Techniques for the Diagnosis of Leptospira-Associated Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) With Focus on the Goldmann-Witmer Coefficient. Vet Ophthalmol 2026 Jan;29(1):e70132.
- Gerras J, Young K, Roberts D, Waldman G, Salmon JH, Gilger BC. Uveitis and blindness in a closed herd of Equidae following leptospiral infection. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1504990.
- Morén S, Kallberg M, Strom L. Equine uveitis: Outcome and adverse effects after one or two intravitreal low-dose gentamicin injections. Equine Vet J 2025 Jan;57(1):160-168.
- Crabtree E, Uribe K, Smith SM, Roberts D, Salmon JH, Bower JJ, Song L, Bastola P, Hirsch ML, Gilger BC. Inhibition of experimental autoimmune uveitis by intravitreal AAV-Equine-IL10 gene therapy. PLoS One 2022;17(8):e0270972.
- Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
- Ackermann K, Kenngott R, Settles M, Gerhards H, Maierl J, Wollanke B. In Vivo Biofilm Formation of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. in the Vitreous Humor of Horses with Recurrent Uveitis. Microorganisms 2021 Sep 9;9(9).
- Bansal R, Gupta A. Protein Biomarkers in Uveitis. Front Immunol 2020;11:610428.
- Saldinger LK, Nelson SG, Bellone RR, Lassaline M, Mack M, Walker NJ, Borjesson DL. Horses with equine recurrent uveitis have an activated CD4+ T-cell phenotype that can be modulated by mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. Vet Ophthalmol 2020 Jan;23(1):160-170.
- Velez G, Tang PH, Cabral T, Cho GY, Machlab DA, Tsang SH, Bassuk AG, Mahajan VB. Personalized Proteomics for Precision Health: Identifying Biomarkers of Vitreoretinal Disease. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2018 Sep;7(5):12.
- Simeonova GP, Krastev SZ, Simeonov RS. Immunological and pathological investigations in equine experimental uveitis. Vet Res Commun 2016 Dec;40(3-4):107-115.
- Kulbrock M, Lehner S, Metzger J, Ohnesorge B, Distl O. A genome-wide association study identifies risk loci to equine recurrent uveitis in German warmblood horses. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e71619.
- Swadzba ME, Hauck SM, Naim HY, Amann B, Deeg CA. Retinal glycoprotein enrichment by concanavalin a enabled identification of novel membrane autoantigen synaptotagmin-1 in equine recurrent uveitis. PLoS One 2012;7(12):e50929.
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