Requirement of functional T-cells in the production of autoimmune glomerulotubular nephropathy in mice.

In order to study T-cell function related to the production of autoimmune nephropathy, we immunized random-bred mice, homozygous athymic nude (nu/nu) mice and heterozygous hairy (nu/+) mice with human glomeruli contained in Freund's complete adjuvant. The random-bred and heterozygous hairy mice developed circulating antibodies to mouse and human kidney and an autoimmune glomerulotubular nephropathy, while the nude mice, even after prolonged immunization, developed neither antibodies nor nephropathy. We therefore concluded that the development of autoimmune glomerulotubular nephropathy in mice requires the presence of functioning T-cells.