What is Uveitis?

Uveitis is a group of various inflammatory diseases involving one or more tissues in the eye, which can lead to vision loss or blindness in severe cases. Infection, autoimmune disease, trauma, etc., are the possible factors causing uveitis. Depending on the portion of the uvea involved, uveitis is classified as anterior, middle, posterior, or panuveitis. Although steroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs are effective treatments, nephrotoxicity and other adverse effects prevent their long-term use. Therefore, there is a need to better understand the pathogenesis and immunology of uveitis and develop more effective and safer therapies. Animal models of human uveitis contribute to understanding immunopathogenic mechanisms. In these animal models, nonhuman primates (NHPs) are particularly valuable for modeling human uveitis because they share many anatomical, physiological, immunological, and genetic similarities with humans. Additionally, NHPs also share ocular structures and functions similar to humans.

Fig. 1. Immunopathogenic Mechanisms of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). (Egwuagu CE, et al., 2021)

Service Overview

Ace Therapeutics is a full-service ocular disease model specialist. Thanks to our talented scientists, experienced staff, and state-of-the-art facilities, Ace Therapeutics advances uveitis research by providing high-quality non-human primate uveitis models to customers around the world through customized protocols.

At Ace Therapeutics, our scientists are pleased to offer NHP uveitis models.

Access Ace Therapeutics' Non-Human Primate (NHP) Models of Uveitis

• Non-Human Primate (NHP) Models of Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis (EAU)

One of the most widely used NHP uveitis models from Ace Therapeutics is EAU, which is induced by immunization with retinal antigens such as S-antigen or interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP). EAU mimics human posterior or panuveal conditions but has fewer anterior manifestations.

Model characteristics: EAU in NHPs produces a chronic, relapsing ocular disease resembling human retinal vasculitis, with extensive inflammation and damage to the retina and choroid.

• Non-Human Primate (NHP) Models of Anterior Uveitis

In addition to this EAU model described above, our researchers have developed an NHP model of anterior uveitis based on concanavalin A (con A)-induced induction. In this model, con A induces transient anterior segment inflammation with typical pathological indicators of anterior uveitis. This model presents an unparalleled opportunity for researchers interested in studying anterior uveitis or testing new treatments for this disease.

Model characteristics: Corneal edema, iris hyperemia and neovascularization, adhesions, lens capsule cells, and keratinized deposits are the most significant clinicopathological features.

Our Capabilities

Throughout the model-building period, Ace Therapeutics uses clinically relevant anti-inflammatory drugs for model validation, and clinical endpoints include but are not limited to:

• Color funduscope examination.
• Histopathological evaluation.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination.
• Determination of cytokine production.
• Flow cytometry analysis.

Advantages

• NHPs are more relevant to human ocular physiology and pathology than rodents or rabbits.
• The application field covers human posterior, anterior, or panuveal diseases, especially the anterior uveitis model, which helps you better evaluate anterior-specific therapy.
• Localized injection therapy is allowed, such as intravitreal or subconjunctival injections, which deliver the drug directly to the target site.

Ace Therapeutics aims to provide a valuable tool to help our global customers predict the therapeutic efficacy in the clinic for novel candidate compounds. If you are interested in our services or need more detailed information, please feel free to contact us. Our experienced scientists are ready to help you!

References

1. Egwuagu CE, Alhakeem SA, Mbanefo EC. Uveitis: Molecular Pathogenesis and Emerging Therapies. Front Immunol. 2021，12:623725.
2. LeHoang P, Sterkers M, Thillaye B, et al. Primate model of uveoretinitis and vasculitis/experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis induced in cynomolgus monkeys by retinal s antigen. Ophthalmic Res. 2008, 40(3-4):181-8.

• Customized NHP Models of Laser-Induced Chronic Ocular Hypertension
• Customized NHP Models of Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
• Customized NHP Models of Dry Eye Disease
• Customized NHP Models of Blue Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration
• Customized NHP Models of Laser-Induced Choroidal Neovascularization (CNV )
• Customized NHP Models of Inherited Retinal Diseases

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