Mesangial immune deposits induced in rats by antibodies to fibronectin.

Immune deposits in the glomerular mesangium were induced in rats by injection of rabbit antibodies to rat plasma fibronectin (FN). By direct immunofluorescence and electron microscopy, deposits of immunoglobulins were detected in the mesangium of all rats injected with anti-FN IgG but not of control rats injected with normal rabbit IgG. By light microscopy, kidneys obtained 20 days after the antibody injection appeared to be normal. No proteinuria was detected during the experiment. Tissue uptake studies combined with direct immunofluorescence examination suggest that the initial accumulation of rabbit immunoglobulins in the glomerular mesangium is probably due to direct local binding of anti-FN antibody rather than trapping of immune complexes formed in the circulation. Quantitation of the direct binding using an in vivo perfused kidney system indicate that only a small fraction of the injected antibodies (less than 1 microgram/kidney) could bind. These studies indicate that (1) mesangial immune deposits may be induced by injection of antibodies to a glycoprotein, fibronectin, which is a normal structural component of the mesangium; (2) the initial accumulation of immunoglobulins in the mesangium is probably related to an in situ binding; and (3) mesangial antigens might be involved, in certain cases, in autoimmune reactions.