title: Mercuric chloride induced autoimmune disease in Brown-Norway rats: sequential search for anti-basement membrane antibodies and circulating immune complexes.
abstract: Mercuric chloride induces in the Brown-Norway rat a biphasic autoimmune disease characterized initially by linear IgG deposits along the glomerular basement membrane followed later by granular IgG deposition. In the present study, anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies and immune complex-like material were sequentially assessed in serial serum samples. Both were transiently found at the same period. Glomerular linear IgG deposits were present on day 11 but circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies were only found later on day 16. Circulating immune complexes were first detectable on day 8 before the earliest granular IgG deposits were first observed in the spleen vessels on day 16. The disappearance of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies and of circulating immune complexes, although HgCl2 injections were pursued, is in agreement with the self-limited character of mercuric chloride induced autoimmune disease and suggests the induction of immunosuppressive mechanisms.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D015922:Complement C1q; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007797:Laminin; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D008628:Mercury; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007797:Laminin; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D015922:Complement C1q; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes; D008628:Mercury