Cell Mediated Immunity in Tubulointerstitial Nephritis of Rats

Jeong, Hyeon Joo

Abstract

To investigate the tubular major histocompatibility complex(MHC) expression and inflammatory phenotypes in tubulointerstitial nephritis, Lewis rats were inununized with azobenzen-earsonate-tyrosine in complete Freund adjuvant and challenged either foot pad or kidney, either by subcapsular injection or by ex vivo perfusion. The rats were sacrificed 2, 3, 5, 10 and 15 days after antigenic challenge. Foot pad swelling was significant at the antigenic challenge site (151.8 vs 6.8 x 10(-2) mm) at 24 hours. Tubulointerstitial nephritis was induced by both methods and the inflammatory infiltrate which first appeared on day 2, became prominent at day 5, then gradually subsided in ex vivo perfused rats, while inflannnation started on day 3 in subcapsular injected rats. The major site of inflammation was in the cortex and outer stripe of the outer medulla, with predominance of mononuclear cells throughout the course. The inflammatory cells showed mainly OX8 and ED1 positivity with OX19, W3/25 and CD5 positivity in minority. RT1B expression was diffuse in the cytoplasm of proximal tubules at day 2 and 5. These results suggest the involvement of cell mediated immunity in this experimental model, and the possibility that tubular epidielial cells process antigen and then become targets in immune injury.