Cell-mediated pathology during murine malaria-associated nephritis.

We have studied the cellular mechanisms involved in the development of nephritis during acute and chronic murine malaria infections induced by Plasmodium vinckei petteri and P. berghei respectively. Albuminuria and uraemia were observed during the early stages of both types of infection, and were associated with glomerular and interstitial hypercellularity. There was a gradual increase in numbers of CD45+ cells from the early stages of both infections onwards. These infiltrates contained CD4+ and CD8+ cells and mononuclear phagocytes. The interstitial and glomerular hypercellularity was due to an influx of inflammatory cells rather than an increase in renal cell division. These findings indicate the importance of cell-mediated immune mechanisms in the development of nephritis during murine malaria and illustrate an example of naturally occurring infection-induced nephritis.