Autoimmune endocrine ophthalmopathy and retrobulbar antigens.

Endocrine Ophthalmopathy (EO) is based on autoimmune processes that lead to lymphocyte infiltration of the retrobulbar space. In this study, antigenic character of retrobulbar adipose, connective and muscle tissue as well as of cultured fibroblasts and myoblasts were examined. Samples were obtained from EO patients (n = 13, 8 fem., age 26-82 years, median 47 years) undergoing orbital decompression surgery. Retrobulbar and abdominal tissue from 7 controls (4 fem., 48 - 74 y) was investigated, too. Tissues were homogenized and the proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE according to molecular weight. In order to recover the separated proteins in soluble form, an electroelution technique was emplo…