ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CIRCULATING IMMUNE-COMPLEXES AND RENAL-DISEASE IN NEW-ZEALAND MICE

Abstract

Using female NZB .times. NZW (B/W) F1 .times. NZW backcross mice, analyses were made to determine the correlations among Clq-binding and conglutinin (Kg) binding immune complexes [IC] in the circulation and the proteinuria of the B/W F1 mice. There was a significant association between proteinuria development and the high serum Kg-binding IC level, while no significant association was seen between the proteinuria and the Clq-binding IC in the backcrosses. There was a lack of correlation between these Clq-binding and Kg-binding IC. Apparently, the major IC detected by these 2 methods differ in nature and emphasize that the demonstration of antigen-non-specific IC in the circulation do not necessarily mean that these IC are responsible for the pathogenesis of the particular disease being studied.