Experimental allergic conjunctivitis: production of different isotypes of antibody by conjunctival-associated lymphoid tissue in culture.

Long-term (greater than 2 years) topical, conjunctival application of fluoresceinyl ovalbumin (FL-OA) induced allergic conjunctivitis-like lesions and hyperplasia of conjunctival-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in guinea pigs. Single-cell suspensions of CALT and spleen were prepared by collagenase digestion and cultured with or without FL-OA or lipopolysaccharide; the culture supernatants were assayed for IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgE antibody. Absolute values (ng Ab protein/ml) of anti-FL-OA IgG subclasses (IgG1 and IgG2) were measured using purified preparations of IgG1 and IgG2 anti-FL-OA antibody standards in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical studies were performed using frozen sectioned CALT tissues as well as cultured single cells. IgG1, IgG2, IgA, IgM, but not IgE, anti-FL-OA antibodies were detected in the culture supernatants of both CALT and spleen. IgG- and IgA-secreting plasma cells were demonstrated in immunoperoxidase-stained CALT and single-cell cultures. The ratio of IgG1 to IgG2 isotypes produced by CALT in vitro was significantly higher than that produced by spleen and also that found in serum. These findings indicated that a site-specific regulation of antibody isotypes may exist within the hyperplastic CALT induced by the long-term topical exposure to FL-OA.