Experimental Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis in Rats

Abstract

The induction of experimental glomerulonephritis was attempted by exposing female Sprague-Dawley rats to intraperitoneal diffusion chambers containing viable hemolytic streptococci of group A, types 1, 6, and 12 and of groups C and G for 60 days. Only two of the seven strains of streptococci used in these studies were associated with significant proteinuria at the termination of the experiment. A strain of group A, type 12 (A12n) which had been demonstrated clinically to be “nephritogenic” for man, induced significant proteinuria in 21 of 33 rats. In most instances proteinuria was correlated with the presence of bound γ-globulin and M protein in the region of the basement membrane of renal glomeruli. Two of four rats exposed to a strain of group C streptococci also had significant proteinuria. Three of these animals had fixed γ-globulin in the glomeruli, but none had demonstrable bound streptococcal antigen. Although histologic evidence of glomerular disease was not found at 60 days, other similarities of the disease suggest that this may provide a useful model for studying the pathogenesis of poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.