Antiglomerular basement membrane nephritis in the mouse. Study on the role of complement in the heterologous phase.

The role of complement was examined in a model of antiglomerular basement membrane nephritis in the mouse, induced by intravenous injection of goat anti-mouse glomerular basement membrane serum, and characterized by early glomerular lesions and a dose-dependent albuminuria. We compared the reaction after injection of the antiserum in complement-normal B10.D2 new mice with that in congenic, congenitally C5-deficient B10.D2 old mice, and in both strains after C3 depletion by treatment with cobra venom factor. The dose-dependent albuminuria was not affected by the absence of complement activation. Also, deficiency of C3 and/or C5 had no inhibitory effect on the histologic glomerular lesions: it did not reduce the influx of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in the glomerular capillary vessels, nor prevented the eventual intravascular coagulation. We conclude that complement-independent mechanisms are involved in the development of the heterologous phase of antiglomerular basement membrane nephritis in the mouse.