RESUMO
Autoimmune nephritis triggered by metallic ions was assessed in a Long-Evans rat model. The parameters evaluated included antinuclear autoantibody production, kidney damage mediated by immune complexes detected by immunofluorescence, and renal function tested by retention of nitrogen waste products and proteinuria. To accomplish our goal, the animals were treated with the following ionic metals: HgCl2, CuSO4, AgNO3, and Pb(NO3)2. A group without ionic metals was used as the control. The results of the present investigation demonstrated that metallic ions triggered antinuclear antibody production in 60% of animals, some of them with anti-DNA specificity. Furthermore, all animals treated with heavy metals developed toxic glomerulonephritis with immune complex deposition along the mesangium and membranes. These phenomena were accompanied by proteinuria and increased concentrations of urea. Based on these results, we conclude that metallic ions may induce experimental autoimmune nephritis.
Assuntos
Doenças Autoimunes/induzido quimicamente , Doenças Autoimunes/imunologia , Íons/efeitos adversos , Metais/efeitos adversos , Nefrite/induzido quimicamente , Nefrite/imunologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antinucleares/imunologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Imunofluorescência/métodos , Glomerulonefrite/induzido quimicamente , Glomerulonefrite/imunologia , Íons/imunologia , Rim/efeitos dos fármacos , Rim/imunologia , Glomérulos Renais/efeitos dos fármacos , Glomérulos Renais/imunologia , Masculino , Metais/imunologia , Proteinúria/imunologia , Ratos , Ratos Long-EvansRESUMO
All metals in contact with biological systems suffer corrosion, which is an electrochemical process that causes metallic ions formation, known as haptens, which link with endogenous or exogenous proteins, therefore inducing an immune response. A hypersensitivity response to an implanted material should be suspected when cutaneous lesions or inflammatory reactions occur proximal to or surrounding the site of the metallic orthopedic implant. At present there is no a reliable diagnostic test for the determination of hypersensitivity to implanted metallic devices. It has been shown that the products of corrosive degradation are associated with dermatitis, urticaria and vasculitis. Cutaneous lesions in patients with unsuccessful metallic implants are more frequent than in non-rejected implants or the general population. Although the cellular and humoral hypersensitivity response in metallic orthopedic implants has been clearly identified, the risk is very low. Nowadays the importance of hypersensitivity to metals as a contributing factor in the failure of implants is unknown.