Formation and clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes in kidneys of rats immunized with heterologous antisera to Tamm-Horsfall protein

Formation and clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes in kidneys of rats immunized with heterologous antisera to Tamm-Horsfall protein. Tubulointerstitial immune complex nephritis was produced by passive immunization of rats with antisera to rat Tamm-Horsfall protein (TH), a surface membrane glycoprotein of the cells of the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. Circulating anti-TH antibodies were deposited in the kidney after an intravenous injection of rabbit antisera to TH. These anti-TH antibodies combined with TH at the base of tubular cells in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and formed granular immune complexes in situ in the space between basal cell surface membranes and tubular basement membranes. Immune complexes were also selectively formed in this site during perfusion of isolated kidneys with antisera to TH. Tubular immune complexes containing immunoglobulin, complement, and TH were maximal during the first week after an intravenous injection while high circulating anti-TH antibody titers were present. As the antibody titers subsequently fell to undetectable levels, tubular immune complexes were rapidly cleared and were virtually absent 4 weeks after the injection. During this clearance phase, rabbit IgG and rat TH were detected in the renal interstitium and in renal hilar lymph nodes. The rapid clearance of subepithelial TH immune complexes contrasts with the prolonged persistance of both glomerular subepithelial immune complexes and basement membrane deposits formed after injection of heterologous antisera to other renal components. The process of rapid clearance of tubulointerstitial immune complexes may allow rapid reversibility of immune injury in tubulointerstitial nephritis. Formation et disparition d'immuns-complexes tubulo-interstitiels dans les reins de rats immunises avec des anti-serums heterologues contre la proteine de Tamm-Horsfall. Une nephrite tubulo-interstitielle a immuns complexes etait produit chez des rats par immunisation passive avec un anti-serum anti-proteine de Tamm-Horsfall de rat (TH), une glycoproteine de la surface membranaire des cellules de la partie ascendante large de l'anse de Henle. Des anticorps anti-TH circulants se deposaient dans le rein apres injection intraveineuse d'antiserum anti-TH de lapin. Ces anticorps anti-TH se combinaient avec la proteine de TH a la base des cellules tubulaires de la partie large ascendante de l'anse de Henle et formaient in situ des immuns-complexes granuleux dans l'espace entre les membranes basales cellulaires et la basale tubulaire. De meme, des immuns complexes se formaient selectivement dans cette zone lors de la perfusion de reins isoles avec un antiserum anti-TH. La quantite d'immuns complexes tubulaires contenant des immunoglobulines, du complement et de la proteine de TH etait maximale pendant la premiere semaine apres l'injection i.v. au moment ou on trouvait des titres eleves d'anticorps anti-TH. Lorsque les anticorps retombaient a un taux indetectable, les immuns complexes tubulaires disparaissaient rapidement, et on n'en trouvait pratiquement plus 4 semaines apres l'injection. Pendant cette periode d'elimination on detectait des IgG de lapin et de la proteine de TH de rat dans l'interstitium et les ganglions hilaires renaux. La disparition rapide des immuns complexes a TH sous epitheliaux contrastait avec la persistance prolongee des immuns complexes sous epitheliaux et des depots dans la membrane basale glomerulaire formes apres injection d'anti-serums heterologues contre d'autres constituants du rein. La disparition rapide des immuns complexes tubulo-interstitiels pourrait permettre une regression rapide des lesions immunes au cours des nephrites tubulo-interstitielles.