Participation of antigen presenting cells in glomerulonephritis

The participation of glomerular antigen presenting (Ia positive) cells in the development of glomerulonephritis was analyzed. Antigen-presentation by kidney cells was evident from the assay of ovalbumin-specific T cell proliferation responses by these cells. Experimental serum sickness nephritis was induced in preimmunized rats by the intraperitoneal sensitization of ovalbumin, and the participation of antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the peritoneal cavity and glomeruli was studied. APCs in the peritoneal cavity progressively increased in number following the antigen stimulation, while those in glomeruli were shown to increase in correlation with the development of glomerular hypercellularity. These results imply that the role of APCs in the sensitized area is superior in this model of immune complex nephritis.