Chronic antigen-antibody-complex glomerulonephritis in mice.
Daily injection of human serum albumin into mice genetically selected to produce low-affinity antibody to protein antigens resulted  in a more severe antigen-antibody-complex-induced glomerulonephritis than in mice producing high-affinity antibody. The low-affinity mice had higher levels of circulating antigen-antibody complexes, greater impairment of renal function and reduced reticuloendothelial clearance of 125I-PVP compared to high-affinity mice. Electron microscopy of glomeruli revealed the presence of subepithelial electron-dense deposits in low-affinity mice and predominantly subendothelial-mesangial deposits in high-affinity mice which corresponded to the predominantly capillary staining in low-affinity mice and mesangial staining in high-affinity mice by immunofluorescence. Auto-radiography of electron-microscopy sections demonstrated the presence of antigen in the electron-dense deposits, indicating that these deposits indeed contained antigen-antigen complexes.
D000818:Animals; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007105:Immune Complex Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000503:physiopathology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex