Experimental Uveitis: I. The Production of Recurrent Immunologic (Auer) Uveitis and Its Relationship to Increased Uveal Vascular Permeability

Recurrent immunologic uveitis has been produced in rabbits by a modification of the Auer reaction. The right eyes of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-sensitized and nonsensitized rabbits were primarily inflamed by the intravitreal injection of Escherichia coli endotoxin. The ensuing intense inflammation of the uveal tract was then allowed to subside until it was minimal or absent. When BSA was then given systemically, acute inflammatory changes recurred only in the previously inflamed right eyes of the sensitized rabbits but not in their left eyes nor in the right and left eyes of control rabbits. Isotope-labeled protein studies revealed that the important underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of this experimental model of recurrent immunologic uveitis is prolonged increased uveal vascular permeability induced by the primary inflammatory agent.