Nephrotoxic and pneumotoxic antibodies and their acute action on lungs: III. Organ localization of antibodies after experimental administration of lethal doses

Summary Experimental intravenous administration of large doses of heterologous anti-glomerular and anti-lung antibodies induces acute exsudative haemorrhagic changes in the lungs resulting in death of the experimental animals. The specific localization of these antibodies labelled with radioactive isotopes of iodine and administered using the paired-isotope technique with radioiodinated normal IgG, displayed high values in the lungs, liver and kidneys. Pulmonary changes developing after administration of the same dose of anti-glomerular antibodies into the left heart ventricle are of lesser extent and the animals survive. On this mode of administration, the specific localization of antibodies presents lower values in the lungs, whereas the values in the kidneys and liver are approximately the same as seen after intravenous administration. Antibody localization in the kidneys and liver is facilitated by the morphologic structure of the capillaries, whereas in the lungs a direct transendothelial transfer must be considered, since in this organ capillary endothelium forms a coherent layer. Attention is being drawn to the high specific localization of antibodies in the liver and to the potential effect of these antibodies on the liver.