Francisco Assis de Andrade
Hospital Universitario Pedro Ernesto, Brazil
Title: The anatomy of the eye as target for autoimmunity
Biography
Biography: Francisco Assis de Andrade
Abstract
The eye is divided anatomically in three distinguished layers: An outer or fibrous layer (cornea/sclera), middle or vascular layer (uvea, a continuous structure comprising iris, ciliary body and choroid) and an inner or sensorineural layer (retina). Due to its embryonic origin, its peculiar anatomy and the presence of physiological factors that modulate the immune response, the eye presents unique immunological characteristics. The eye is protected from invasive pathogens by two systems, an anatomical barrier and an immunological barrier. Under conditions of intraocular inflammation in experimental animals and humans, activated CD4+ T-cells infiltrate the eye and cause immune responses and inflammation, which damage vision related cells and tissues. However, the eye has a unique immune system to protect important cells and tissues from activated effector CD4+ T-cells. When Streilein and colleagues described ACAID, they provided the first evidence that ocular parenchymal cells participate in the so called ocular immune privilege. To fully understand the complex mechanism of ocular immune system and the immune response in general, the mechanisms by which the threat of autoimmune disease is kept in check, as well as those that play a role in the induction of autoimmunity, must be completely elucidated. It has been demonstrated that there are multiple anatomic and functional layers that are necessary for the preservation of the privileged immune protection of the eye.