Laboratory Investigation

Kidney International (1984) 26, 816–822; doi:10.1038/ki.1984.223

Pyelonephritis: The role of cell-mediated immunity defined in a congenitally athymic rat

Thomas Miller1

1Department of Medicine, Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

Correspondence: Dr T E Miller, Department of Medicine, Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Auckland, New Zealand

Received 30 December 1983; Revised 26 April 1984.

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Abstract

Pyelonephritis: Role of cell-mediated immunity defined in a congenitally athymic rat. Thymus-denved lymphocytes (T-cells) have been shown to be present in the inflammatory infiltrate in renal infection but their role in host defense mechanisms has not been defined. Indirect evidence suggested that T-cells contributed to host protection but selective depletion of T-cells did not influence the course of pyelonephritis. In the present report, the characteristics of the athymic New Zealand nude rat (rnunz). which lacks T-lymphocytes. are detailed. This mutant was then used to assess the effect of an absence of T-cells on the bacteriological and histopathological features of pyelonephritis. No significant differences in the bacteriological course of the disease were found. Apart from fewer lymphocytes in the kidney lesions of nude rats and a slight lag in the resolution of these lesions, no differences were observed in the histopathological course either. These observations, which have analyzed the quantitative relationship between cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and host resistance to renal infection, have shown that a gross reduction in CMI does not atleet host resistance once bacteria have gained access to the kidney.

Pyélonéphrite: Rôle de l'immunité à médiation cellulaire défini chez un rat congénitalcment athymique. Il a été montré que des lymphocytes d'origine thymique (cellules T) sont présents dans l'infiltrat inflammatoire lors d*une infection rénale, mais leur rôle dans les mécanismes de défense de l'hôte n'ont pas été définis. Des preuves indirectes ont suggéré que les cellules T contribuaient à la protection de l'hôte mais une depletion sélective en cellules T n'influençait pas l'évolution de la pyélonéphrite. Dans ce travail, les caractéristiques du rat athymique New Zealand nude (rnunz), qui n'a pas de lymphocytes T, sont détaillées. Ce mutant a été utilisé pour préciser l'eflet de l'absence de cellules T sur les caractéristiques bactériologiques et histopathologiques de la pyélonéphrite. Aucune différence n'a été trouvée dans l'évolution bactériologique de la maladie. De même, à part des lymphocytes moins nombreux dans les lésions rénales des rats nude et un discret retard dans la résolution de ces lésions, aucune différence n'a été observée dans l'évolution histopathologique. Ces observations, qui ont analysé la relation quantitative entre l'immunité à médiation cellulaire (CMI) et la résistance de l'hôte à l'infection rénale, ont montré qu'une réduction importante de CMI n'affecte pas la résistance de l'hôte une fois que les bactéries ont eu accès au rein.

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References

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