Login / Signup

An Animal Model Using Metallic Ions to Produce Autoimmune Nephritis.

Roxana Ramírez-SandovalNayeli Luévano-RodríguezMayra Rodríguez-RodríguezMaría Elena Pérez-PérezSergio Saldívar-EliasReinaldo Gurrola-CarlosEsperanza Avalos-DíazJuan José Bollain-y-GoytiaRafael Herrera-Esparza
Published in: Journal of immunology research (2015)
Autoimmune nephritis triggered by metallic ions was assessed in a Long-Evans rat model. The parameters evaluated included antinuclear autoantibody production, kidney damage mediated by immune complexes detected by immunofluorescence, and renal function tested by retention of nitrogen waste products and proteinuria. To accomplish our goal, the animals were treated with the following ionic metals: HgCl2, CuSO4, AgNO3, and Pb(NO3)2. A group without ionic metals was used as the control. The results of the present investigation demonstrated that metallic ions triggered antinuclear antibody production in 60% of animals, some of them with anti-DNA specificity. Furthermore, all animals treated with heavy metals developed toxic glomerulonephritis with immune complex deposition along the mesangium and membranes. These phenomena were accompanied by proteinuria and increased concentrations of urea. Based on these results, we conclude that metallic ions may induce experimental autoimmune nephritis.
Keyphrases