Immunological function of kidney-infiltrating lymphocytes from aged NZB mice

A striking aspect of autoimmune kidney disease in the NZB mouse strain is the perivascular infiltration of lymphoid cells. Upon release by enzymatic digestion of kidney tissue from animals 6 months of age or older, these cells have been found to exhibit a high level of immunologic activity not seen in younger mice or in nonautoimmune strains. Kidney-derived cells were found to respond to T and B cell mitogens at levels ranging up to those observed for peripheral blood, and in some cases splenic lymphocytes, from the same animals. An enhanced proliferative response to autologous and allogeneic stimulation was observed compared to these other lymphoid sources. Both spontaneous and LPS-stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis were noted with all three populations, which could be totally or partially blocked by cycloheximide. Selective localization of autoantibody-producing cell populations was observed, with anti-erythrocyte antibody restricted to splenocytes and PBL, and the anti-dsDNA implicated in immune complex formation found only in kidney-derived cell culture supernatants.