Involvement of an antigen distinct from the Heymann antigen in membranous glomerulonephritis in the mouse.

Membranous glomerulonephritis in the mouse can be induced by injection of a heterologous antiserum against murine pronase digested renal tubular antigens (TApron). The antigenic target in the glomerular capillary wall is different from the Heymann antigen (gp 330). It shows the characteristics of a smaller antigen (gp 90) that can also be detected by a monoclonal antibody. We isolated the anti-gp 90 component from the polyclonal antiserum by absorptions and elutions using mouse liver as a substrate, which lacks gp 330 but does express gp 90. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled renal proximal tubular brush borders demonstrated that the mouse liver eluate reacted with gp 90 but not with gp 330. In immunofluorescence, the eluate bound to the glomerular capillary wall of both mouse and rat in a homogeneous pattern. Injection of the eluate led to a transient, homogeneous binding to the glomerular capillary wall of the mouse and also, although to a lesser extent, to that of the rat. Injection in mice presensitized against rabbit immunoglobulins caused a more permanent granular binding in a pattern typical of membranous glomerulonephritis. The results demonstrate that an antigen with a molecular weight and a kidney distribution different from the Heymann antigen can serve as target for antibody-mediated membraneous glomerulonephritis in the mouse. Furthermore, they suggest that this antigen may also be involved in the membranous glomerulonephritis of the rat in addition to the Heymann antigen.