The effect of the CC chemokine receptor antagonist Met-RANTES on experimental autoimmune uveitis and oral tolerance

Lymphocyte trafficking is controlled in part by the actions of chemokines. In rat experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) we observed differential therapeutic effects of Met-RANTES, a CCR1/CCR5 receptor antagonist, depending on the retinal antigen peptides inducing the disease and the time of application during the afferent or efferent immune response. CCR1 and/or CCR5 blockade may have inhibitory effects on different phases of the autoimmune response, depending on the antigen specificity of T cells in EAU. In contrast, Met-RANTES enhanced therapeutic oral tolerance independently of orally applied antigen.