Studies on the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune renal tubulointerstitial disease in guinea-pigs. III. The role of adjuvants in the induction of disease.

Experimental renal tubulointerstitial disease is induced in guinea-pigs by anti-tubular basement membrane autoantibodies. The complete mechanism of mononuclear cell accumulation in the target organ is not known; however, in addition to antibody, complement and radiosensitive leucocytes are important. In the present experiments we explored the influence of adjuvant in the accumulation of mononuclear cells in kidneys of actively or passively immunized guinea-pigs. We found that renal disease could be induced without adjuvant, by multiple injections of rabbit tubular basement membrane. Lesions were comparable to those groups which received a single dose of antigen in Freund's complete or pertussis vaccine adjuvant. Passive transfer of nephritis confirmed that adjuvant is not necessary for either the accumulation of mononuclear cells or the formation of antibodies with particularly potent pathogenicity.