Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis Induction

EAU was induced as previously described (31 (link)). Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Ra (40 mg; BD, 231141) and human IRBP651-670 (LAQGAYRTAVDLESLASQLT; 500 mg; Sangon) were dissolved in Freund’s adjuvant (1 ml; Sigma-Aldrich, F5881) and phosphate-buffered saline (1 ml), respectively. Then, Freund’s adjuvant and IRBP were emulsified for 1 hour in an equal volume. For the EAU model, the mice were subcutaneously injected with IRBP (500 μg) and intraperitoneally injected with 1 μg of pertussis toxin (List Biological Laboratories, Campbell, CA, USA). To ensure model success, all immunized mice underwent slit lamp examination 7 days after EAU induction and then randomized into different groups. DCA and rotenone were dissolved in 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The mice in the EAU+DCA and EAU+rotenone groups were intraperitoneally administered with DCA [200 mg/(kg·day); Rhawn] and rotenone [1.5 mg/(kg·day); Rhawn], respectively at 7, 9, 11, and 13 days after IRBP immunization. Clinical and histopathological assessments were blindly scored by two researchers according to previous reports (63 (link), 64 (link)).