Objective To observe the interferon- gamma; (IFN- gamma;), interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels of Th1 cytokine and IL-4、IL-10 levels of Th2 cytokine in serum and culture supernatants of splenic cells of the rats in the prevention of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis（EAU）by oral tolerance. Methods 72 Lewis rats were randomly divided into EAU group，oral tolerance group (which including 10  mu;g、100  mu;g、1 mg、10 mg of S antigen group respectively) and control group，12 rats in each group. The animal model of EAU was induced by immunization with S antigen（50  mu;g）and Freund rsquo;s complete adjuvant. Oral tolerance 10  mu;g、100  mu;g、1 mg and 10 mg group were fed with 1 ml mixture of 10  mu;g、100  mu;g、1 mg、10 mg S antigen and 1 mg trypsin inhibitor respectively by intubation，once the other day，totally 7 times，and then induced EAU according to above methods；control group was fed with 1 ml mixture of phosphate buffered saline and 1 mg trypsin inhibitor，once the other day，totally 7 times，and then induced EAU. The clinical manifestation of EAU in the eye were recorded,the eyeballs were enucleated at the peak of EAU，followed by pathological grading. Meanwhile the serum was colleced; splentic cells were separated and cultured to collect the supernatant. Cytokine levels of IFN- gamma;, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in serum, cultured supernatant of splenic cells were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Compared with EAU and control group, the levels of IFN- gamma; and IL-2 (Th1 cytokine) in the serum in 100  mu;g and 1 mg group were decreased while the levels of IL4 and IL10 (Th2 cytokine) were increased，the differences were statistically significant（F=51.9, 68.8, 35.7,7.5,P＜0.01). Compared the levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in the serum in 10  mu;g, 10 mg group with EAU and control group, the differences were not statistically significant. In 100  mu;g、1 mg group, the levels of IFN- gamma; and IL-2 (Th1 cytokine) in the culture supernatant of splenic cells were decreased while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokine) were increased, compared with EAU and control group, the differences were statistically significant（F=57.1,15.6,33.1,167.7, P＜0.01）. Compared the levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokine in the culture supernatant of splenic cells in 10  mu;g、10 mg groups with EAU and control group, the difference are not statistically significant. Conclusions In the process to prevent EAU by oral intake, the levels of IFN- gamma; and IL-2 (Th1 cytokine ) were decrease while the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokine). Oral administration with too high or low dose of the antigen can not prevent EAU as well as the cytokine levels do not change obviously. Cytokines has played an important role in the prevention of EAU.

Citation： Rui ZHANG Jiang QIAN Yifei YUAN. Study on the cytokine network in the prevention of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis by oral tolerance. Chinese Journal of Ocular Fundus Diseases, 2008, 24(5): 345-348. doi: Copy