Proliferative glomerulonephritis in rats: evidence that mononuclear phagocytes infiltrating the glomeruli stimulate the proliferation of endothelial and mesangial cells

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Abstract
A proliferative, noncrescentic, glomerulonephritis (GN) was induced in rats preimmunized with rabbit IgG by injecting a subnephrotoxic dose of rabbit anti-GBll [glomerular basement membrane] IgG. Control rats either received anti-GBM IgG only, or were totally irradiated (800 rads, kidneys protected) 2 days before the 2nd injection. All GN rats developed a severe proteinuria within 2-4 days after the injection of anti-GBM IgG, contrarily to the control rats. At the same time, many mononuclear cells, of predominantly extra-renal origin, infiltrated the glomeruli. Glomeruli were isolated from GN, normal and control rats and were cultivated in Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium. In normal and control rat cultures, epithelial and mesangial cells were observed. In GN rat cultures, not only epithelial and mesangial cells, but also endothelial and macrophagic cells were identified; the mesangial cell outgrowth capacity was enhanced. This was evident in cultures of GN glomeruli isolated within 2-4 days after the renal disease induction exactly when the glomeruli were infiltrated by a large number of mononuclear phagocytes. Apparently the mononuclear phagocytes infiltrating the glomeruli of rats with this GN mode stimulate the proliferation of endothelial and mesangial cells in vitro.