TREATMENT OF S-ANTIGEN UVEORETINITIS WITH LIPOXYGENASE AND CYCLOOXYGENASE INHIBITORS

The role of metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis was studied using inhibitors of AA metabolism. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), which inhibits predominantly the lipoxygenase (LO) pathway, or indomethacin, a specific cyclo-oxygenase (CO) inhibitor, was administered to rats imunized with retinal S antigen. Levels of various AA metabolites were measured in the inflamed uvea, and the severity of intraocular inflammation was quantitated by morphometric analysis. Histopathologically, the uveoretinitis was significantly suppressed following treatment with NDGA, while indomethacin treatment resulted in augmentation of the disease (p < 0.05). These results tend to indicate that the inhibition of the LO rather than the CO pathway may be more beneficial in the treatment of autoimmune uveitis.