Acceleration of glomerulonephritis in NZB x NZW mice by early immunization with DNA and injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Experimental approach to the treatment of lupus nephritis by use of the accelerated model of NZB x NZW mouse disease.

The effects of early immunization with DNA and of injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the glomerulonephritis of NZB x NZW mice were studied. Combined injections of DNA complexed to methylated bovine serum albumin (DNA-mBSA) and of LPS appeared to be more efficient in accelerating the disease in NZB x NZW mice than injections of DNA-mBSA or LPS alone. A rapid increase in levels of anti-DNA antibodies, an early appearance of severe renal lesions and a shortened survival were observed in mice injected with both DNA-mBSA and LPS. This new model was found to be suitable for therapeutic studies in mice with accelerated disease treated with cyclophosphamide and heparin. The efficacy of cyclophosphamide for the treatment of NZB x NZW mouse disease was shown by immunological and histological studies in mice younger than 4 months. Heparin appeared to have a beneficial effect by preventing the endocapillary cellular proliferation induced by injections of DNA-mBSA and LPS. The accelerated model of NZB x NZW mouse disease might be a useful tool for experiments on the treatment of lupus nephritis.