The effect of cortisone treatment on autologous immune complex glomerulonephritis in rats.

Autologous immune complex nephritis was induced in an inbred strain of rats by repeated i.p. injections of a chemically modified homologous kidney mitochondrial preparation. The effect of prednisolone treatment on the development of the disease process was studied. It was observed that the administration of steroid from the end of the immunization period until the termination of the experiment diminished the glomerular deposition of immune complexes and reduced the urinary protein loss, whereas treatment of rats with established kidney disease resulted in no apparent improvement.