INTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS IN ALEUTIAN MINK DISEASE POSSIBLE ROLE OF CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY AGAINST VIRUS-INFECTED TUBULAR EPITHELIAL-CELLS

Aleutian mink disease (AD) has been characterized by immune complex gl omerulonephritis associated with persistent infection of Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV). Histopathological examination of kidneys fr om ADV-infected mink in this study revealed that interstitial nephriti s characterized by prominent damage of renal tubuli and lymphocyte inf iltration was also common in AD along with glomerulonelphritis. By usi ng strand-specific in situ molecular hybridization technique, replicat ion of ADV was observed in tubular eipithelial cells, in addition to e pithelial cells of Bowman's capsules and some glomerular cells of the infected mink. Analysis of tubular lesions by a combination of immunoh istochemistry and in situ hybridization revealed that the renal tubili positive for virion DNA or replicative form DNA/mRNA of ADV were also positive for an activation marker ofimmunocompetent cells, which is s hared by B lymphocytes and thymic epithelial cells. Infiltration of a subpopulation of T lymphocytes around infected renal tubuli were obser ved but deposition of immune complexes in these tubular lesions was no t demonstrable ADV replication in epithelial cells of renal tubuli and cell mediated immune responses to the infected epithelial cells may p lay a role in the pathogenesis of interstitial nephritis in Aleutian m ink disease.