Mercury-induced renal autoimmunity in the MAXX rat

Inbred Brown Norway (BN) rats treated with mercuric chloride develop autoantibodies to renal basement membranes and an immunologically mediated membranous glomerulonephritis. To date, this experimental rat model of chemically induced autoimmunity has been obtained only in the BN strain, whereas rats from 17 other strains were found to be resistant. This is a disadvantage for mechanistic studies, especially since BN rats have poor fertility. In the present paper we report that the same model can be obtained in another inbred strain of rats, the MAXX, which after exposure to mercury develop a glomerulonephritis characterized by the production of autoantibodies to renal basement membranes. The kinetics of the autoimmune response observed in MAXX rats, as well as the immunohistopathology, histopathology, and proteinuria, are similar to those previously described in BN rats. In addition, the MAXX strain is endowed with excellent fertility. Therefore, both rat strains can be used for comparative studies of the mechanisms of mercury-induced autoimmunity.