ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the pathological characteristics of lupus-like renal damages induced by double stranded DNA (dsDNA) derived from Trypanosoma Equiperdum (TE). Methods The TEs were propagated in normal rats and isolated from fresh rat blood by DEAE cellulose-chromatography. Their kinetoplast dsDNA (kDNA) was purified with Gibson's method. The emulsive mixture of kDNA and incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) was injected into normal BALB/c mice subcutaneously. Eight weeks Later some parameters were examined, including sera titers of ANA and anti-dsDNA antibodies, 24h urine protein concentration, ESR, BUN, Scr and renal histological active index (AI). The pathological characteristics of renal tissues were observed under optical and electron microscopes, and then compared with that of BXSB mice and lupfis nephritis (LN) patients with positive anti-dsDNA antibodies in the sera. Results The results of all immunological parameters of TE kDNA-immunized mice corresponded with that of LN. Their renal damages mainly represented nephropathy syndrome. The pathological characteristics of these mice were similar to that of BXSB mice and LN patients, but Ⅱ (mesangial proliferative) and Ⅳ (diffuse proliferative) subtypes were more common in the former. Conclusion The pathological characteristics of renal damages in the mice immunized with TE dsDNA are similar to that of human LN induced by anti-dsDNA antibodies. This mice model could be used as a tool for invostigating the pathogenesis of LN.