INCIDENCE OF IMMUNE COMPLEX NEPHRITIS FOLLOWING ACTIVE IMMUNISATION WITH A TESTOSTERONE-3-BSA CONJUGATE OR BSA ALONE

Abstract

Before immunization with hormones can be applied in therapeutic medicine, the possible immunological side effects should be investigated. Kidneys of 20 rabbits immunized with testosterone-BSA [bovine serum albumin] conjugates were examined 4-30 wk after immunization for the presence of immune complex precipitation and glomerulonephritis. Of these, 85% showed differing degrees of precipitation and 50% had an exudative glomerulonephritis. None of the kidneys from normal control rabbits or those immunized with complete Freund''s adjuvant or BSA showed any signs of immune complex precipitation, although high anti-BSA titers were present in the BSA-immunized animals (1/3000-1/25,000). BSA antibodies could not be detected in the rabbits immunized with testosterone-3-BSA. Active immunization with steroid-BSA conjugates is not advisable as therapy.