title: Spontaneous circulating immune complex like material in Brown-Norway rats. Role of environmental factors.
abstract: Brown-Norway rats maintained under conventional housing conditions showed a significant increase in the C1q binding activity of serum and to a lesser extent of the Raji cell assay whereas no change was observed, in BN rats maintained under specific pathogen free (SPF) conditions. Glomerular IgG deposits were encountered among rats with circulating immune complexes (CIC). This suggests that microbiological environment is a major factor in the spontaneous appearance of CIC which could be of pathogenic significance.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D015922:Complement C1q; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015922:Complement C1q; D003166:Complement Activating Enzymes