A study of the potential nephrotoxicity of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum.

Nephrotoxic serum nephritis as a potential effect of the administration of heterologous anti-lymphocyte serum was investigated in dogs. Horse anti-dog lymphocyte serum, prepared using lymph node cells, was demonstrated by immunofluorescent techniques to possess both and anti-glomerular antibody activity. Experiments were designed to eliminate as far as possible conditions which would allow a serum sickness type of nephritis to develop, while permitting expression of the putative anti-glomerular antibody activity. While none of the animals receiving anti-lymphocyte serum either subcutaneously or intravenously showed clinical evidence of glomerular injury, in some cases early histological changes were apparent and the reasons for their non-progressive nature are discussed.