The Microbiota Determines Susceptibility to Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis

Figure 2

Reduced severity of EAU in mice treated with antibiotics (ATB) from one week before EAU induction (15 animals). Mice treated with metronidazole and ciprofloxacin commencing one week prior to EAU induction and continued for the course of the experiment had significantly lower levels of EAU compared to controls (15 animals) both clinically and histologically. (a) Representative photographs of retinal fundus at days 14, 21, 28 and day 35 after EAU induction show the development of ocular pathology in ATB and control mice. (b) Quantification of clinical EAU score. The red lines in the graphs represent mean. (Mann-Whitney test). (c) Representative microphotographs of hematoxylin and eosin-stained retina of ATB-treated and control mice at day 35 after induction. Fewer signs of inflammation are present in ATB-treated compared to control mice, including cells in the vitreous (arrows) and small retinal folds (arrowheads), retinal neovascularization (black star), and vasculitis (white star). (d) Quantification of histological EAU score is shown. The red lines in the graphs represent mean. (Mann-Whitney test).