Increased immunoreactivity of collagen types I, III and V, fibronectin and TGF-β in retinal vessels of rats with experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis

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Abstract
The immunoreactivity of types I, III and V collagen, fibronectin and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) was studied by an immunogold labeling method in retinal vessels of rats with experimental autoimmune uveoretinits (EAU) induced by retinal S-antigen. The basal lamina of retinal capillaries in normal rats showed low immunoreactivities for the extracellular matrix components and TGF-β. However, at the peak of inflammation (day 13-16 postimmunization), labeling of all three types of collagen and fibronectin increased considerably in the basal lamina of retinal vessels. TGF-β immunoreactivity was detected mainly in the vascular endothelium and the pericytes. The results suggest that TGF-β synthesized by the endothelial cells and pericytes may regulate the synthesis and composition of extracellular matrix components in the vascular basal lamina during the course of EAU development.