Interaction of immune complexes with cultured rabbit glomerular cells

Rabbit glomerular cell cultures were established from adolescent and mature rabbits in the absence of antibiotics. Fibroblast growth factor was added to half the cultures. Immune complexes (IC) formed with 125I bovine albumin and rabbit antibody were incubated with 10-day-old cultures for 44 h. Cell-IC interaction was observed in all samples but was increased in cultures without growth factor: the effect was not age dependent. Cells cultured without growth factor had increased surface accumulation of fibronectin. Addition of antifibronectin antibody to cell cultures did not inhibit cell complex interaction. The presence of unlabeled IC reduced labeled IC binding in cultures without growth factor. Binding of IC made with F(ab')2 fragments exceeded that of IC made with intact IgG. The results suggest IC bind with cultured glomerular cells and the degree of interaction is influenced by the presence of growth factors which alter cell membrane composition.