Immunologically induced peliosis hepatis in rats.

Peliosis hepatis has been induced immunologically with anti-rat glomerular basal membrane rabbit serum in rats pre-sensitized with a rare earth metal complex, neodymium pyrocatechin disulphonate (NPD). This is the first experimental evidence that peliosis hepatis may develop as a result of an immunological process. It is noteworthy that in this experimental form of peliosis hepatis and in that observed earlier in rats treated with basic polyglutamic acid derivatives, severe defibrination was detected and, as in most human cases, not only the liver but other organs were also involved in the peliotic lesions. Since the rare earth metal compounds, among them the pyrocatechin disulphonate complex of neodymium, depress the reticulo-endothelial activity, a role of the reticulo-endothelial system in the pathogenesis of this experimental form of peliosis hepatis is suggested.