Immunoregulation in Heymann nephritis. I. Cell marker studies.

Immunoregulation was examined in rats with Heymann nephritis (HN), an established model of membranous glomerulonephropathy (MGN). There is little known of the cellular immune events for the induction and maintenance of the autoimmune response in HN. The cell marker studies utilized fluorescein (FITC)-labelled monoclonal antibodies directed to B cells (Mark-I), and T cell subsets: pan T (ER-I), helper/inducer T (ER-2) and suppressor/cytotoxic T (ER-3). Lymphoid subsets were compared in spleen, lymph nodes, peripheral blood and bone marrow, of normal and diseased rats. Animals were investigated during the induction and chronic phases of disease. The induction of HN was associated with an early, significant, but transient increase of the non-specific myeloid component of the defence system. Subsequently, a significant increase was seen in the number of cells of the B lymphocyte lineage in HN animals, which coincided well with the overall increased humoral immune responsiveness. No alterations in the T lymphocyte subsets were noted during the development of this experimental autoimmune disease.