Effect of Allergic Conjunctival Inflammation on the Allogeneic Response to Donor Cornea

The effect of perioperative allergic conjunctivitis on corneal lymphangiogenesis after corneal transplantation

“…Corneal transplantation in the setting of allergic conjunctivitis is accompanied by increased conjunctival inflammation, but what this report describes is more rapid ingress of inflammatory cells to the donor cornea accompanied by earlier lymphangiogenesis. We have previously shown that the experimental allergic conjunctivitis induction protocol, which involved conjunctival exposure to allergen, did not induce either corneal infiltration by inflammatory cells or corneal lymphangiogenesis,2 indicating that the allergy-associated increase in perioperative corneal inflammation is seen only in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus in the cornea itself, that is, a suture.…”

“…Mice were sensitised to the allergen short ragweed pollen (SRW) over a 15-day period using a previously described method 2. Mice were sensitised by intraperitoneal (i.p.)…”

“…Ipsilateral allergic conjunctival inflammation has been shown to accelerate the speed of experimental corneal allograft rejection 1 2. As such the presence of perioperative allergic conjunctivitis confers a high-risk status on the graft.…”

Use of ultrasonic pachymetry for measurement of changes in corneal thickness in mouse corneal transplant rejection

“…In published studies including earlier work from our own laboratory,6 graft opacity grade 3 has been used as an end point because the loss of iris detail at this grade is a more definite feature than the much more subjective signs designating opacity grades 1 and 2. Notwithstanding, it is clear that grafts at grade 2 contain infiltrating immune cells and are probably undergoing rejection (figures 2, 5).…”

Immunology of Corneal Allografts: Insights from Animal Models

“…Prospective studies in mice shed light on this apparent paradox and clearly demonstrated that disabling Th1 immune responses by in vivo neutralization of IFN-γ or through the use of IFN-γ −/− hosts resulted in a strong Th2-based alloimmune response and an exacerbation, not mitigation, of immune rejection of corneal allografts [34, 45–50]. Moreover, mouse studies incorporating well-defined allergens revealed that Th2-based allergic diseases did indeed increase the incidence and tempo of corneal allograft rejection [45, 46, 48–50]. By employing a murine model of allergic asthma it was possible to determine that allergic diseases, even those which occur in organs distant from the eye, have a profound adverse effect on corneal allograft survival [48].…”