Participation of ocular tissues in systemic anaphylaxis.

The participation of ocular tissues was examined in two models of systemic anaphylaxis in the rat. Increased retention of radiolabeled rat serum albumin, which accompanies anaphylaxis, was the parameter measured. The production of IgE antibodies to egg albumin or worm antigen was stimulated by immunization with minute amounts of egg albumin and alum or by infection with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Intravenous administration of egg albumin or worm extract produced clinical signs of systemic anaphylaxis in the correspondingly immunized rats. Systemic anaphylaxis was accompanied by increased retention of radiolabeled rat serum albumin in the small intestine in both groups of rats. Significantly increased retention occurred in rat lid-conjunctivaorbital tissues of both groups and in globe tissues of the rats immunized with egg albumin. We concluded that the ocular tissues participated in systemic anaphylaxis.