Autoimmune ocular disease in MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr mice is suppressed by anti-CD4 antibody.

MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr(MRL/lpr) mice spontaneously have a systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by vasculitis, lymphadenopathy, glomerulonephritis, and autoantibody formation. Among the many autoimmune lesions present are focal ocular inflammatory infiltrates, involving the choroid and sclera. These lesions appear to be related to the vasculitis seen in MRL/lpr mice and are mediated by L3T4-positive helper T-cells (CD4-positive T-cells). Systemic treatment of MRL/lpr mice with a monoclonal anti-L3T4 antibody (anti-CD4) resulted in a dramatic reduction of both the frequency and severity of the ocular disease, supporting the hypothesis that the CD4-positive T-cells play an essential role in the pathogenesis of the choroiditis and scleritis in this strain.