Humoral and cellular immune responses to lens protein in patients with congenital cataract.

In order to understand the immune responses to lens protein in patients with congenital cataract, the passive hemagglutination assay for humoral immunity and the leukocyte migration test for cellular immunity to lens protein were performed on 43 patients with congenital cataract and 30 healthy persons served as control. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the incidence of humoral immune responses to lens protein between patients with congenital cataract and the controls (P greater than 0.05), but the incidence of cellular immune responses to lens protein in patients with congenital cataract was higher than that of the controls (P less than 0.005). The results of this study suggested that during the development of congenital cataract, lens protein leaked into the aqueous humour and entered the systemic circulation, sensitizing lymphocytes and producing cellular mediated immune responses. Further investigation is necessary to determine whether there is any relationship between the immune responses to lens protein and the formation of congenital cataract.