Correlation between T cells and experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis

A model of crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) in mice was induced by intravenous injection of rabbit anti-mouse glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antiserum and lipopolysaccharide. The procedure was carried out in BALB/c mice, heterozygous mice and nude mice. In order to examine the role of T cells in the pathogenesis of crescentic GN, immunofluorescent and morphologic changes in the glomeruli of these animals were studied. Intense (4+) linear deposition of rabbit IgG was found along the GBM of all test animals. Intense (3(+)-4+) linear deposition of mouse IgG along the GBM was present in normal and heterozygous mice, but not in nude mice. Normal mice developed typical crescentic GN characterized by severe degeneration and destruction of GBM, fibrin deposition and crescent formation 3-6 weeks after injection. Heterozygous mice only developed mild mesangial proliferation. No glomerular lesions were seen in nude mice. These preliminary data suggest that glomerular immunologic damage requires the participation of functional T cells, and that the induction of typical crescentic GN requires integral T-cell function.