IMMUNOPATHOLOGY OF RHINO MOUSE, AN AUTOSOMAL RECESSIVE MUTANT WITH MURINE LUPUS‐LIKE DISEASE

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Abstract
Detection of high incidence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was reported in young homozygous rhino mice employing formalinized chicken erythrocyte nuclei as substrate for indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assay. The titers of ANA heightened with increasing age, and attained to 1:1024 by the time mice reached 5 mo. of age. The occurrence of ANA was associated with development of splenic and hepatic fibrosis, glomerulonephritis and abnormalities of lymphoreticular tissue. The granular deposits of IgG and C3 [Complement component 3] detected by direct IF were initially found at the basement membrane of dermal-epidermal junction of rhino mice aged 2.5 mo. These deposits distributed progressively in the fibrotic areas of spleen and liver and renal glomerular tufts at 5 mo. of age. Dense deposits revealed by EM were found in the regions where IF of IgG and C3 was observed. Acid buffer eluates from liver and kidney contained IgG reactive with nuclear antigens. The importance of the homozygous rhino gene was discussed in relation to development of autoimmune disorders of these mice.