Cardiac Lesions Produced in Rabbits by Massive Injections of Bovine Serum Gamma Globulin

Abstract

Granulomatous lesions of the valves and valve rings have been produced in 52 per cent of rabbits treated by massive intravenous administrations of bovine gamma globulin in such a way as to establish a state of anaphylactic hypersensitivity in the animals. The incidence of the lesions is greater than has heretofore been reported as produced by the use of any type of foreign protein injection in rabbits. The use of a purified protein antigen has resulted in the production of several different types of lesions; namely, a granulomatous inflammation of heart valves and valve rings, a glomerulonephritis, and an arteritis. The lesions of the heart cannot be regarded as being identical with the lesions of human rheumatic fever, but they are considered to be sufficiently similar to warrant a continuation of this approach to the study of the etiology and pathogenesis of rheumatic fever in man.

Diffuse Glomerulonephritis Produced in Rabbits by Massive Injections of Bovine Serum Gamma Globulin

“…It should be emphasized that although the most striking morphological lesion produced by massive dosage with bovine gamma globulin is a diffuse glomerulitis, the injection of purified antigen did not in our experiments produce this single type of lesion alone. Nine of the globulin-treated animals showed focal granulomatous lesions in the heart valves and valve rings, and two showed coronary arteritis (29). It should be further noted that cardiac and renal lesions did not always coexist in the same animals.…”

“…Focal granulomatous infiltrations were found in the heart valves and valve rings in nine of the globulin-treated animals, and form the basis of a separate report (29). In addition, two animals showed lesions of a proliferative arteritis in the coronary arteries, of the type commonly associated with experimental foreign protein sensitivity.…”