Objective: To investigate the changes of the GATA-3 expression and development of anterior chamber associated immune deviation (ACAID) after anterior chamber (AC) injection of interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP) under ocular inflammation.
Methods: ACAID was induced by injection of IRBP into the AC of 30 Spar-Dawley (SD) rats. Then the animals were divided into -4 days group, -24 hours group, 0 hour group, 3 days group, and 7 days group according to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection 4 days and 24 hours before, or 0 hour, 3 days and 7 days after IRBP inoculation respectively. 6 rats were used as controls 8 days after IRBP injection, Serum interleukin-4 (IL-4) was evaluated to count the development of ACAID; Western blot and RT-PCR were used to determine the protein and mRNA levels of GATA-3 expression.
Results: In -24 hours group and 0 hour group, the ocular inflammation reached a maximum 24 hours after LPS injection; on 8 days after IRBP inoculation, serum IL-4 couldn't be detected and GATA-3 expression were not changed both on mRNA and protein levels compared with control group. In -4 days group, the ocular inflammation was subsided gradually 24 hours and disappeared 96 hours after LPS injection; serum IL-4 and GATA-3 expression were significantly elevated 8 days after IRBP injection. In 7 days group, the serum IL-4 and GATA-3 expression in spleen increased 8 days after IRBP inoculation.
Conclusion: In ocular inflammation, the up-regulation of GATA-3 expression is inhibited and ACAID development is blocked after antigen was injected into anterior chamber. Once GATA-3 is up-regulated, LPS injection cannot affect ACAID development.