Studies on drug-induced lupus erythematosus in mice. III. Renal lesions and splenomegaly in drug-induced lupus erythematosus

Histological studies were made of kidneys and spleens of mice treated with various LE-inducing drugs. With both immunofluorescence and light microscopy renal lesions compatible with immune complexnephritis were found in drug-treated, and to a much lesser extent, also in control mice. A correlation appeared to exist between the occurrence of antinuclear antibodies and renal lesions, and also between renal lesions and the presence of anti-DNA antibodies. Of the three strains we studied, C57B1/6J, BALB/CJ and A/jax mice, the latter appeared to be the most affected. Splenomegaly was found in some of the drug-treated groups of BALB/CJ and A/jax mice. The histology of these spleens suggested increased erythropoiesis; signs of increased haemolysis in these mice were, however, not found. IgM and IgG levels in these mice appeared to be elevated if compared with normal Swiss mouse serum. The increase was of the order of magnitude as is commonly found in NZB mice. Again, the most striking elevation existed in A/jax mice, possibly another indication for the autoimmune predisposition of this strain.