Antibasement membrane antibody-mediated experimental conjunctivitis.

In ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, the binding of circulating antibodies to conjunctiva is believed to initiate an antibody-mediated cytotoxic response that results in inflammation and tissue damage. To develop a model of antibody-mediated conjunctival inflammation, we examined the effect on conjunctiva of local or systemic administration of a murine monoclonal antibody against basement membrane of stratified squamous epithelium. Neonatal rabbits were given either a single subconjunctival or intraperitoneal injection of the antibody. Eyes were graded clinically for inflammation and conjunctival biopsies were performed. After subconjunctival injection, clinical and histologic inflammation as well as murine antibody and rabbit complement binding to conjunctival basement membrane were detected. With systemic administration there was post-injection clinical inflammation, and conjunctival basement membrane-bound murine antibody was detected. There was no difference observed in conjunctival mitotic rate or goblet cell frequency between treatment groups and controls, following either route of administration. We have created, therefore, a model for antibody-mediated conjunctivitis in rabbits by local or systemic administration of a monoclonal antibody against a component of stratified squamous epithelial basement membrane.