Bacterial infection of the posterior segment of the eye (endophthalmitis) leads to a robust host response that often results in irreversible damage to the layers of the retina, significant vision loss, and in some patients, enucleation of the globe. While a great deal of effort has gone into understanding the role of bacterial virulence factors in disease initiation and propagation, it is becoming increasingly clear that the host response to infection plays a major role in causing the damage associated with endophthalmitis. Researchers have identified the host receptors which detect infecting organisms and initiate the cascade of events that result in inflammation. This inflammation may damage nonregenerative tissues of the eye while attempting to clear the infection. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria can cause endophthalmitis. These organisms initiate an immune response by activating toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways. Once an inflammatory response is initiated, the expression of immunomodulators, such as proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines, affect the recruitment of PMNs and other inflammatory cells into the eye. We and others have reported that knockout mice that do not express specific inflammatory pathways.
Reference-https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1350946219300278
