Circulating T-cell populations during mercuric chloride-induced nephritis in the Brown Norway rat.
Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis was used to study the peripheral lymphocyte populations during mercuric chloride (HgCl2)-induced autoimmune nephritis in the Brown Norway (BN) rat. Sequential studies showed a transient loss of T cells from peripheral blood attributable to decreases in the percentage of T-helper cells. In addition, there was a decrease in the percentage of T-cytotoxic/suppressor cells prior to the appearance of circulating anti-GBM antibodies, followed by elevated levels of T-suppressor cells during down-regulation of the response. This method may allow closer inspection of the events linking changes in T-cell populations and induction and termination of an autoimmune response.
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D008627:Mercuric Chloride