Previous studies by Sue Menko, Thomas Jefferson University, revealed that immune cells populate the surface of the lens in response to acute injury and prolonged inflammation in other regions of the eye. While this was the first demonstration of immune cells recruited to the lens surface, it also raised questions about their role in ongoing surveillance, and whether they may help resolve inflammation.
Her team’s latest study, published in The American Journal of Pathology, answers these questions. The researchers found that macrophages with an immunoregulatory phenotype and regulatory T cells (Tregs) are the immune cells actively recruited to the lens surface during inflammation. These immunoregulatory cells help restore balance and reduce inflammation. They also found that these immune cells remain on the lens surface until the inflammation is resolved.
“Debunking the thought that the eye could not care for itself is a big deal,” said Menko. “This helps us understand disease processes like uveitis and how they’re resolved in the eye. Maintaining a non-inflammatory condition in the eye is crucial to preserve vision, and we now know that the eye has inherent mechanisms to do that.”
M.D./PhD student and first author Phuong Lee contributed to the study alongside researchers from the National Eye Institute and George Washington University.
The study highlights the importance of understanding the eye’s natural defenses, which could eventually lead to more effective treatment strategies for autoimmune uveitis. The next steps in Dr. Menko’s research focus on uncovering the mechanisms that recruit immune cells to the lens and identifying the earliest alert systems that trigger this immunoregulatory inflammation in uveitis and other inflammatory eye conditions.
Thomas Jefferson University news story