Evidence of Autologous Immune-Complex Nephritis

Abstract

THE glomerular lesion of autologous immunecomplex nephritis in rats (Heymann nephritis) is analogous to that of membranous glomerulopathy in human beings.1 One of the components of the immune aggregates deposited along the glomerular basement membrane in this model is a renal tubular epithelial lipoprotein antigen (RTEα5) derived from the proximal renal tubular brush border.2 Although induction of autologous immune-complex nephritis can be achieved by active immunization with this antigen, the disease process can also be produced by passive immunization with antibody to renal tubular brush-border antigens (passive Heymann nephritis).3 This observation prompted the search for an alternative explanation to the . . .