title: Guinea pigs with inherited deficiencies of complement components C2 or C4 have characteristics of immune complex disease.
abstract: Guinea pigs genetically deficient in the second (C2) or fourth component of complement (C4) generally appear healthy in contrast to humans with a C2 or C4 deficiency. However, upon investigation of these genetic deficiencies in guinea pigs for signs of dysregulation in the humoral immune system and especially autoantibodies, many complement-deficient guinea pigs (greater than 50%) had elevated levels of serum IgM and higher concentrations of anti-hapten (dinitrophenyl) antibodies as signs of polyclonally stimulated antibody synthesis. In addition, a significant number of the complement-deficient animals, on average 30%, had IgM rheumatoid factors in their sera compared with less than 1% of the normal animals. These observations, therefore, indicate that guinea pigs, genetically deficient in C2 or C4, show characteristics of immune complex disease in general.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D003175:Complement C2 / Q000172:deficiency*; D003179:Complement C3b / Q000276:immunology; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000172:deficiency*; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000276:immunology; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003175:Complement C2; D003181:Complement C4; D004136:Dinitrobenzenes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D003179:Complement C3b; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor