Renal Tubular Disease and Autoantibodies against Tubular Basement Membrane Induced in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Guinea pigs injected with heterologous renal basement membranes (RBM) and complete Freund's adjuvant (FA) develop a new renal cortical tubular disease and form antibodies that react with renal tubular basement membrane (TBM) (1–3). We now document the characteristics and immunopathology of this renal tubular disease and the presence of anti-TBM antibodies in the serum and along the cortical TBM. Finally, we demonstrate a positive correlation between the incidence of severe tubular disease and large amounts of anti-cortical TBM autoantibodies. Materials and Methods. RBM, rich in TBM, were prepared from frozen New Zealand White rabbit kidneys ³ by a modification of Krakower and Greenspon's method (4). Briefly, rabbit cortex was buttered through a 100-mesh metal screen. The screenings were washed by centrifugation in saline to remove free cells. By repeated shaking and washing of the residue, glomeruli settled faster than tubules. Supernatants rich in tubules were examined microscopically (4, 5).