The effect of rheumatoid factor on the clearance of endogenous immune complexes formed in low-affinity mice during the induction of immune complex disease.

Intravenous injection of rheumatoid factor (RF) had a marked effect on the clearance kinetics of immune complexes (IC) formed in vivo during induction of chronic immune complex disease in low-affinity mice. RF resulted in a significant increase in IC level and clearance time in 64% of mice with circulating IC after antigen injection, suggesting that RF may alter the handling of potentially pathogenic IC which localize in the renal capillaries causing glomerulonephritis.