ABSTRACT

Serum obtained from a female patient confirmed to be systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) positive and serum from non-SLE female were used as antigen to induce antibody production in 16 female non-gravid albino rats divided into two groups. Groupi rats (test rats) were given 0.lml SLE serum antigen while group2 rats (control rats) were given 0.lml non-SL9E serum antigen. Both treatments were subsequently repeated after 2weeks to rats in the two groups after which they were sacrificed at 2weeks, 4weeks and 6weeks intervals following antigenic challenge. In addition, serum from SLE treated rats were given at 0.1 ml to 6 female non-gravid rabbits; antibody inducement was repeated after 2weeks and the rabbit serum collected 2weeks latter was checked for antibodies production against the rat serum antigen using double immunodiffusion technique. Sera collected from the rats in groups 1 and 2 were checked for antibodies production against known SLE serum antigen using double immunodiffusion technique and the precipitation ring measured in mm after diffusion in Ouchterlony plate. Also rat blood collected into EDTA tube was used for haematological assay while excised rat organs fixed in 40% formal saline were used for histochemistry. Precipitation occurred in the Ouchterlony plate for the rats sacrificed at 6weeks and the precipitating antibodies produced by the test rats were observed to be significantly (p<O.O5) higher than the antibodies produced by the control rats. l-laernatological assay result showed no significant (p>0.05) difference in RBC, WBC, Platelet count, Hb and PCV values of the test and the control rats but significant (p<0.05) higher value of lymphocyte count was observed in the control than in the test rats. Histochemistry of the rats' kidneys, hearts and livers showed lack of inflammatory response in control rats' organs but there was evidence of inflammation in the test rats' organs, especially the kidneys.