Intra-ocular dendritic cells are increased in HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis

Kasper, M.; Heming, M.; Schafflick, D.; Li, X.; Lautwein, T.; Meyer zu Horste, M.; Bauer, D.; Walscheid, K.; Wiendl, H.; Loser, K.; Heiligenhaus, A.; Meyer zu Hörste, G.

doi:10.1101/2021.02.16.431370

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2021.02.16.431370

Intra-ocular dendritic cells are increased in HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis

Kasper, M.·Heming, M.·Schafflick, D.·Li, X.·Lautwein, T.·Meyer zu Horste, M.·Bauer, D.·Walscheid, K.·Wiendl, H.·Loser, K.·Heiligenhaus, A.·Meyer zu Hörste, G.

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Abstract

Uveitis describes a heterogeneous group of inflammatory eye diseases characterized by infiltration of leukocytes into the uveal tissues. HLA-B27-associated uveitis is a common subtype of uveitis and a prototypical ocular autoimmune disease. Local immune mechanisms driving human uveitis are poorly characterized mainly due to the limited available biomaterial and subsequent technical limitations. Here, we provide the first high-resolution characterization of intraocular leukocytes in HLA-B27 positive and negative anterior uveitis and an infectious endophthalmitis control by combining single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) with flow cytometry and low-input proteomics. Ocular cell infiltrates consisted primarily of lymphocytes in uveitis and of myeloid cells in infectious endophthalmitis. HLA-B27 positive uveitis exclusively featured an plasmacytoid and classical dendritic cells (cDC) infiltrate, and of plasma cells. Moreover, cDCs were central in predicted local cell-cell communication. The data suggests a unique pattern of ocular leukocyte infiltration in HLA-B27 positive uveitis with relevance of particular dendritic cells.

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Kasper, M., Heming, M., Schafflick, D., Li, X., Lautwein, T., Meyer zu Horste, M., Bauer, D., Walscheid, K., Wiendl, H., Loser, K., Heiligenhaus, A., Meyer zu Hörste, G.. 2021-02-18. Intra-ocular dendritic cells are increased in HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.16.431370

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