Anti-actin antibodies of IgM and IgG class in chronic liver diseases detected by fluorometric immunoassay

Using a sensitive fluoroimmunoassay, anti-actin antibodies (AA) of the IgM and IgG classes were measured in 240 patients with various chronic liver diseases and in 211 patients with non-hepatic autoimmune muscle, heart, malignant and inflammatory bowel diseases. Thirty-two out of 40 patients (80%) with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (CAH) had AA only of the IgG class (geom. mean X = 1.78, SEM +/- 0.07) and only three patients (8%) had both IgG and IgM AA, the latter in lower titres. In patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and AMA-positive cholestatic CAH, AA of both IgM and IgG classes were equally represented (60% IgG and 64% IgM AA in PBC, 73% IgG and 51% IgM AA in cholestatic CAH) but the titres were very low (geom. mean IgG AA in PBC 1.035, SEM +/- 0.03, in cholestatic CAH 1.18, SEM +/- 0.02). In contrast to autoimmune (lupoid) CAH, AA were rare in HBsAg positive CAH (9/43, 21%) and only present in low titres. However, in six out of 21 patients with anti-HBs and anti-HBc-positive chronic active hepatitis, high AA of IgG class were found, suggesting the autoimmune type of liver disease. In NANB virus-induced chronic liver disease after blood transfusion, AA were only occasionally found (IgG antibodies 1/19, IgM antibodies 3/19) and none were found in the eight patients with sporadic NANB hepatitis. They were also rare in 30 patients with alcoholic liver disease (3/30, 10%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Reovirus type 3 infection in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis

Reovirus type 3 (Reo-3) infection has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain idiopathic, cholestatic liver diseases of newborns. In the present study, antibody titres to Reo-3 virus (anti-Reo-3) were determined in sera from 43 adults with idiopathic cholestatic liver disease, including 34 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and 9 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Seventy-four adults with various other causes of chronic liver disease and 16 healthy volunteers served as controls. Geometric mean titres of anti-Reo-3 were significantly higher in PBC and PSC sera than chronic liver disease and healthy controls (P less than 0.005). Mean antibody titres for all patient groups, however, were within the 95% confidence limits for normals. Seven of 34 (21%) PBC patients and 3/9 (33%) PSC patients had elevated titres of anti-Reo-3, as compared to only 4/74 (5%) chronic liver disease (P less than 0.05) and 0/16 (0%) healthy control subjects (P less than 0.05) (Fisher's Exact Test). Antibody titres to five other common viruses were normal in patients with high anti-Reo-3 titres when compared to age- and sex-matched controls with liver disease. Immunoperoxidase staining for Reo-3 viral markers and cultures of liver biopsy material for Reo-3 virus were negative in both patients and controls. The results of this study indicate that, although patients with PBC and PSC have higher anti-Reo-3 antibody titres than patients with other forms of chronic liver disease or healthy volunteers, only a minority of these patients have titres that exceed the 95% confidence limits for normals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Antinuclear autoantibodies in chronic liver diseases

Circulating autoantibodies are often observed in liver disorders, especially in those thought to have an autoimmune etiology-such as primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and chronic active hepatitis (CAH). The pathophysiologic role of these antibodies, however, remains obscure. The present study was performed to evaluate the incidence and diagnostic value of different antinuclear antibodies in chronic liver diseases, and to assess whether the antibodies are a non-specific expression of the hypergammaglobulinemia observed in these disorders. We measured six different antinuclear and closely related antibodies (against ssDNA, dsDNA, Poly (I), Poly (dT), RNA and cardiolipin) and their IgG, IgA and IgM isotypes in the sera of 86 patients with autoimmune, as well as other chronic liver diseases--namely, PBC, CAH, alcoholic (AC) and cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC). Antibodies against all the various nuclear antigens were detected in all diseases studied. The incidence ranged from 4% (anti-cardiolipin-IgG in CC) to 74% (anti-Poly (dT)-IgM in PBC). Although the antibody profiles differed among the various disease entities, they were not distinct enough to be of any clinical diagnostic value. In alcoholic cirrhosis antibody levels correlated with corresponding immunoglobulin isotype levels (notably IgA), suggesting a non-specific expression of hypergammaglobulinemia. In the other liver diseases such a correlation was lacking, favoring the existence of an underlying specific antigenic stimulation, or some other more specific immune dysfunction.     

Anti-HCV immunoglobulin M antibody in patients with hepatitis C

Anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) immunoglobulin M antibody titres were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method in 16 patients with non-A, non-B acute hepatitis (NANB AH), 13 with non-A, non-B fulminant hepatitis (NANB FH) and nine with type C chronic hepatitis. Anti-HCV IgM was positive in one of the 16 patients with NANB AH, six of the 13 with NANB FH, and five of the nine with type C chronic hepatitis. Anti-HCV IgG was positive in eight of the 16 patients with NANB AH and eight of the 13 with NANB FH. Either anti-HCV IgM or anti-HCV IgG were positive in 10 of the 13 patients with NANB FH. All of the five anti-HCV IgM positive patients with type C chronic hepatitis were undergoing an exacerbation of the diseases, while all of the anti-HCV IgM negative patients were in a remission stage which had lasted for more than 6 months. The findings of this study suggest that anti-HCV IgM is useful for the early diagnosis of type C FH and may be a useful marker of diseases activity in type C chronic hepatitis.     

Detection of anti-pyruvate dehydrogenase complex antibody in primary biliary cirrhosis by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

The methods to detect antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), which are characteristically positive in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), have some problems in technical difficulty, sensitivity and specificity. Based on the finding that one of the major antigens corresponding to AMAs was the E2 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH), a very simple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect anti-PDH antibody (anti-PDH) has been developed in this study. Among 68 patients with PBC, IgG class anti-PDH and IgM class anti-PDH were detected in 64 patients (94.1%) and in 55 patients (80.8%), respectively, while only three cases (4.4%) were both negative. Mean optical densities (O.D.) of sera from patients with PBC were 0.536±0.386 (mean±SD) in IgG class and 0.308±0.342 in IgM class. No positive cases were detected in the following patients by this ELISA: 20 patients with acute viral hepatitis, 24 with chronic persisitent hepatitis, 32 with chronic active hepatitis, 19 with liver cirrhosis, 19 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 19 with acute intrahepatic cholestasis, 10 with autoimmune hepatitis, and six with systemic lupus erythematosus. Among nine AMAs negative cases with PBC by conventional indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assay, seven cases were found to be positive by this ELISA. The inter-assay coefficient of the variation of this method ranged from 4.9% to 5.8% and the intra-assay coefficient of variation from 3.8% to 5.1%. Therefore, this ELISA is useful for diagnosis of PBC.     

Characterization of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) specific mitochondrial determinants by immunoblotting

Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are detected in up to 100% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC); subtypes of AMA are disease specific. Sera from 21 patients with PBC and from 50 patients with various hepatic and non-hepatic diseases were tested for AMA by indirect immunofluorescence, radioimmunoassay for PBC-specific subtype anti M2 and characterized by western blot analysis and agarose-IEF-immunoblotting. Sera from patients with PBC reacted with up to 7 different mitochondrial polypeptides on western blots, mol. wt. 24,000-62,000 dalton. Sera from 50 patients with various hepatic and non-hepatic diseases did not react with these polypeptides. Sera with other AMA subtypes were included in this study (anti M1, anti M3, and anti M5). These mitochondrial polypeptides were associated with inner mitochondrial membranes (mitoplasts). Sonification led to a solubilization of several mitochondrial polypeptides (p 62, p 48, p 40, p 24). On agarose-IEF-immunoblotting sera from patients with PBC and 3 sera from patients with AMA positive cholestatic CAH but no other sera reacted with a protein band at pI 4.0; seven PBC sera reacted in addition with a protein band at pI 4.4. Western blot and agarose-IEF-immunoblotting are sensitive and specific tools to identify and characterize mitochondrial target antigens in PBC. Furthermore these techniques allow to study the clinical relevance of the heterogeneity of AMA in cholestatic liver disease.     

Profiles of antinuclear antibodies in chronic active hepatitis,primary biliary cirrhosis and alcoholic liver disease

ABSTRACT— The profiles of specific antinuclear antibodies were determined in sera from 23 patients with the idiopathic type of chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 15 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and 25 patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The indirect immunofluorescence test for antinuclear antibodies using cultured human embryonic fibroblasts as substrate was positive in 78% in CAH, in 73% in PBC and in 24% in ALD. Seventeen percent of CAH sera and 33% of PBC sera stained small speckles in interphase nuclei. This staining pattern probably represents a new subset of ANA as the centromeres (kinetochores) were not stained. Antibodies to native DNA by the Crithidia luciliae test were found in only one serum from a patient with CAH. In addition, 17 percent of the CAH sera reacted with the saline extract of rabbit thymus by double immunodiffusion. Antibodies to the Sm- or RNP-antigens were not found. SS-B antibodies could be demonstrated in 39% of the CAH sera by a sensitive immunoenzymatic technique. Patients with CAH also had significantly higher levels of antibodies against denatured, single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) and a synthetic RNA molecule, poly(A) as compared to other groups. Patients with an atypical cholestatic CAH had an antinuclear-antibody profile resembling that of the other CAH patients, but different from that of PBC patients. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis had significantly higher levels of ss-DNA- and poly(A)-antibodies than other patients with ALD. It is concluded that the determination of an antinuclear-antibody profile using the ELISA seems to be clinically useful in the classification of chronic liver diseases.     

High prevalence of antibodies to calreticulin of the IgA class in primary biliary cirrhosis: a possible role of gut-derived bacterial antigens in its aetiology?

BACKGROUND: In a preliminary study we showed that antibodies to the endoplasmic reticulum protein calreticulin (CR) occur in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis type 1 (AIH). Since anti-CR antibodies have also been found in patients with infectious diseases, we investigated their prevalence and immunoglobulin classes in patients with various hepatic and intestinal diseases, hoping to get some information on a possible relationship between an infectious trigger and the induction of a certain class of anti-CR antibodies. METHODS: Sera were tested for anti-CR antibodies of the IgA, IgG, and IgM class by Western blotting, using CR isolated from human liver: in autoimmune liver diseases (primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) (n = 86) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) type 1 (n = 57)), alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) (n = 32), viral liver infections (acute hepatitis A (n = 8), acute hepatitis B (n = 20), and chronic hepatitis C (n = 28)), and intestinal diseases (Crohn disease (CD) (n = 30), acute yersiniosis (n = 26)). Sera from 100 healthy individuals served as negative controls. RESULTS: The most prominent finding was the high prevalence of anti-CR antibodies of the IgA class and the similarity in the anti-CR antibody class pattern in PBC (IgA, 62%; IgG, 43%; IgM, 55%) and yersiniosis (IgA, 62%; IgG, 39%; IgM, 42%). Class IgA anti-CR antibodies also occurred frequently in ALC (IgA, 44%; IgG, 41%; IgM, 19%). In contrast, in AIH anti-CR antibodies were predominantly of class IgG (IgA, 28%; IgG, 60%; IgM, 33%). In hepatitis A anti-CR antibodies were absent. In the other diseases they had a low prevalence and were mostly of class IgG (acute hepatitis B: IgA, 0%; IgG, 15%; IgM, 0%; chronic hepatitis C: IgA, 7%; IgG, 21%; IgM, 0%; CD: IgA, 13%; IgG, 20%; IgM, 13%). Of the healthy individuals 7% had anti-CR antibodies exclusively of class IgG. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of anti-CR antibodies of class IgA in patients with PBC and yersiniosis as well as in alcoholic liver disease reflects a reactivity of the gut-associated immune system and could imply that a still undefined gut-derived bacterial (?) agent may trigger PBC.     

Case Report: Treatment of Autoimmune Cholangitis

Autoimmune cholangitis has recently beendescribed as a rare, chronic cholestatic liver diseasewith clinical, biochemical, and immunological featuresof both primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and chronic autoimmune hepatitis (CAH) (1). In autoimmunecholangitis, increased levels of-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alkalinephophatase (AP) are disproportionate in comparison withthe elevation in transaminases (AST/ALT), suggesting cholestatic liverdisease. Although the histological changes are similarto those in PBC, anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA),the serological hallmark of PBC, are not detectable. However, as in type-1 autoimmune hepatitis,high titers of anti-nuclear (ANA) and smooth muscleantibodies (ASMA) are features of autoimmunecholangitis. The diagnostic differentiation between PBC,CAH, and autoimmune cholangitis is important becauseof the different therapeutic strategies. In PBC, mostpatients do not benefit from immunosuppressive therapy(2), whereas ursodeoxycholic acid can slow disease progression (3-7). In contrast, most patientswith autoimmune hepatitis show a rapid response toimmunosuppressive treatment (8). There is no consensustherapy for autoimmune cholangitis because controlled prospective clinical trials have not beenconducted. Controversial responses to immunosuppressivetherapy and treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid havebeen reported for small numbers of patients (1, 9-13). Here we report a patient with autoimmunecholangitis who failed to respond to immunosuppressivetherapy but showed rapid and sustained response totreatment with ursodeoxycholic acid, and we review the literature on diagnosis and therapy ofautoimmune cholangitis.     

Diagnostic utility of IgG and IgM immunohistochemistry in autoimmune liver disease

AIM:To assess the role of IgM and IgG immunohistochemistry(IHC) in the evaluation of autoimmune liver conditions-autoimmune hepatitis(AIH),primary biliary cirrhosis(PBC),and primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC).METHODS:Forty one biopsies from untreated patients diagnosed with autoimmune liver disease(AIH,n = 20;PBC,n = 13;PSC,n = 8) and fourteen biopsies of patients with chronic hepatitis C were selected.IgM and IgG-positive plasma cells were counted in each sample.RESULTS:A predominance of IgG-positive plas...     

Association of HLA Class-II Genes and Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Chinese Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: In a preliminary study we showed that antibodies to the endoplasmic reticulum protein calreticulin (CR) occur in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis type 1 (AIH). Since anti-CR antibodies have also been found in patients with infectious diseases, we investigated their prevalence and immunoglobulin classes in patients with various hepatic and intestinal diseases, hoping to get some information on a possible relationship between an infectious trigger and the induction of a certain class of anti-CR antibodies. Methods: Sera were tested for anti-CR antibodies of the IgA, IgG, and IgM class by Western blotting, using CR isolated from human liver: in autoimmune liver diseases (primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) (n = 86) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) type 1 (n = 57)), alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) (n = 32), viral liver infections (acute hepatitis A (n = 8), acute hepatitis B (n = 20), and chronic hepatitis C (n = 28)), and intestinal diseases (Crohn disease (CD) (n = 30), acute yersiniosis (n = 26)). Sera from 100 healthy individuals served as negative controls. Results: The most prominent finding was the high prevalence of anti-CR antibodies of the IgA class and the similarity in the anti-CR antibody class pattern in PBC (IgA, 62%; IgG, 43%; IgM, 55%) and yersiniosis (IgA, 62%; IgG, 39%; IgM, 42%). Class IgA anti-CR antibodies also occurred frequently in ALC (IgA, 44%; IgG, 41%; IgM, 19%). In contrast, in AIH anti-CR antibodies were predominantly of class IgG (IgA, 28%; IgG, 60%; IgM, 33%). In hepatitis A anti-CR antibodies were absent. In the other diseases they had a low prevalence and were mostly of class IgG (acute hepatitis B: IgA, 0%; IgG, 15%; IgM, 0%; chronic hepatitis C: IgA, 7%; IgG, 21%; IgM, 0%; CD: IgA, 13%; IgG, 20%; IgM, 13%). Of the healthy individuals 7% had anti-CR antibodies exclusively of class IgG. Conclusions: The high prevalence of anti-CR antibodies of class IgA in patients with PBC and yersiniosis as well as in alcoholic liver disease reflects a reactivity of the gut-associated immune system and could imply that a still undefined gut-derived bacterial (?) agent may trigger PBC.     

Immunological parameters, viral antibodies, and biochemical and histological findings in relatives of patients with chronic active hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis.

The familial occurrence of immunological, virological, biochemical and histopathological abnormalities has been studied in 39 first degree relatives of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and in 58 first degree relatives of patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Tissue antibodies were more frequent in relatives than in age- and sex-matched controls. Abnormal immunoglobulin levels were demonstrated in about half of the relatives. Very high antibody titres to measles and rubella occurred only in the relatives of the patients with CAH. Moreover the raised titres tended to be clustered in a few families in which also the propositi had very high viral antibody titres. Liver biopsy was performed only on the relatives with biochemical abnormalities. Unspecific inflammatory changes were observed in 5 relatives of the patients with CAH and in 4 relatives of the patients with PBC. An active liver disease was detected in two relatives of the PBC-group and in one of the CAH-group. A marked accumulation of various immunological and histopathological abnormalities in four families was observed.     

Cryoglobulins in primary biliary cirrhosis: prevalence and modulation by immunosuppressive therapy

Cryoglobulins were measured in 25 patients with PBC and, for comparison purposes, in 25 age- and sex-matched normal individuals as well as 25 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Cryoglobulins were present in all patients with PBC (median protein content 18 mg/l, range 8-233) and consisted predominantly of IgM, while none of the normal controls and only 20% of the patients with CAH had cryoglobulins. In PBC, a statistically significant correlation was found between cryoglobulin-IgM concentration and other immunological measurements, such as the serum IgM level (p = 0.003) and Clq binding (p less than 0.001). Cryoglobulin-IgM also correlated significantly with alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.002) and liver fibrosis (p = 0.013), but only in a larger group of patients with PBC. In a longitudinal study of patients with PBC, no changes in the cryoglobulin concentration were found following treatment with D-penicillamine alone or placebo, but the cryoglobulin-IgM level decreased significantly during low-dose combination therapy of D-penicillamine and prednisone (median 15,4 mg/l); this was accompanied by a statistically significant decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase. The relation between cryoglobulin-IgM, serum alkaline phosphatase and liver fibrosis is discussed with regard to the pathogenesis of PBC.     

ATPASE-ASSOCIATED ANTIGEN (M2): MARKER ANTIGEN FOR SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS

Serum samples from 94 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and 17 patients with chronic cholestatic hepatitis (CCH) were tested in the fluorometric immunoassay (FIAX) against the non-organ-specific ATPase-associated antigen (M2) and against submitochondrial particles (SMP) and sonicated mitochondria from beef heart and rat liver, to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of the M2 antigen for the diagnosis of PBC. As controls serum samples from 42 patients with other antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) specificity (against M1, M3, M5, and M6) as well as samples from 417 patients with various other hepatic and non-hepatic disorders were used. Serum samples from 91 of the 94 PBC patients (97%) and all 17 with CCH reacted with the M2 antigen. However, when SMP from rat liver and beef heart were tested in parallel in the FIAX, AMA could be detected in all PBC serum samples. None of the 42 patients with different types of AMA had reactions with the M2 antigen but all had reactions with SMP from rat-liver or beef-heart mitochondria or both. Among the other 417 patients with hepatic and non-hepatic disorders only 4 (1%), all with collagen diseases, had anti-M2 antibodies.     

抗线粒体抗体阴性原发性胆汁性肝硬化患者的临床及病理学特点

目的 分析抗线粒体抗体(AMA)阴性的原发性胆汁性肝硬化(PBC)患者临床及病理学特点.方法 对208例PBC患者的临床及病理学资料进行分析,并将AMA阴性PBC患者与典型PBC和自身免疫性肝炎(AIH)患者进行比较.非正态连续变量的比较使用Mann Whitney U检验,分类资料构成比的比较使用Chi-Square检验.结果 208例PBC患者中,AMA阴性者30例,占14.4%.AMA/AMA-M2阳性PBC和AMA阴性PBC患者在一般情况,临床表现、体征、肝功能(ALT、AST,碱性磷酸酶、γ-谷氨酰转移酶和总胆红素)和肝组织学表现上的差异均无统计学意义(P值均>0.05).AMA/AMA-M2阳性PBC组患者γ-球蛋白、IgG、IgM和IgA明显升高,中位数(P25,P75)分别为8.6(6.6,10.9)g/L,16.8(13.7,19.4)g/L、3.6(2.7,5.4)g/L和2.9(2.2,3.8)g/L,与AMA阴性组[分别为7.1(5.6,7.9)g/L、14.1(11.3,17.6)g/L、2.7(1.9,4.5)g/L和2.1(1.5,3.4)g/L]相比,差异有统计学意义(Z值分别为-2.088、-2.177、-2.372和-2.764,P值均<0.05);两组间总胆固醇差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).AMA阴性PBC患者中,29例(96.7%)呈抗核抗体(ANA)阳性,其中胞质颗粒型14例(48.3%)、核膜型8例(27.6%)、着丝点型6例(20.7%)、均质型1例(3.4%).与AIH患者比较,AMA阴性PBC患者以胆汁淤积表现为主,碱性磷酸酶、γ-谷氨酰转移酶、IgM和胆固醇水平均较AIH组明显升高(P值均<0.05),而血清AST,IgG和IgA水平低于AIH患者(P值均<0.05).结论 在以胆汁淤积表现为主,IgM和胆固醇水平升高、ANA为非均质型为主要表现的患者中,AMA虽阴性仍需考虑PBC的可能.

Abstract：

Objective To explore the clinical and pathological features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) patients with negative anti-mitochondria antibody (AMA). Methods Two hundreds and eight PBC patients were enrolled. The clinical and histological data of the negative AMA cases were compared with the AMA/AMA-M2 positive cases. Results 30 out of the 208 cases (14.4%) were AMA negative patients in our study. The general status, biochemical tests and histological findings between the two groups had no significant difference (P> 0.05). The γ -globulin, IgG, IgM and IgA levels of AMA/AMA-M2 positive PBC patients were higher than that of the AMA negative cases (P < 0.05). The abnormal rate of cholesterol in AMA negative PBC patients was 65.4% as compared to 50.4% in AMA/AMA-M2 positive cases, no significant difference existed between (P > 0.05). Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) was observed in 29 (96.7%) AMA negative PBC patients, including 14 (48.3%) with granular pattern, 8 (27.6%) with nuclear membrane pattern, 6 (20.7%) with kinetochore pattern and 1 (3.4%) with homogeneous pattern. AMA negative PBC patients had elevated serum ALP, GGT, IgM and cholesterol levels, and decreased serum AST, IgG and IgA levels as compared with that of autoimmune hepatitis patients (P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion In cholestatic patients with elevated IgM and cholesterol levels, ANA positive with non-homogeneous pattern, the diagnosis of PBC should be suspected, albeit AMA negative. The clinical, biochemcial and histological features of the AMA negative PBC patients were similar to classic PBC patients, but quite different from autoimmune hepatitis.     

In vitro synthesis of IgG and IgM in patients with HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis

ABSTRACT— Spontaneous and PWM-driven IgG and IgM synthesis was investigated in the PBMC of 15 patients with HBsAg-negative CAH and six HBsAg-positive patients with CAH. PBMC from patients with HBsAg-positive CAH show an impaired IgG synthesis upon stimulation with PWM but an IgM increase similar to that of control subjects. In contrast, PBMC from HBsAg-negative patients with CAH show a trend to spontaneous increased synthesis of IgG and a decrease or lack of IgG and IgM synthesis upon PWM stimulation. Steroid treatment seems to ameliorate these alterations. No differences were found among the three groups of HBsAg-negative chronic active hepatitis (autoimmune, HBsAg-related and cryptogenic). These results indicate that differences of B-cell functions may exist in the two groups of CAH patients, not only in spontaneous B-cell activation or PWM-induced Ig synthesis but also in the different classes of Ig.     

[14C]aminopyrine breath test in chronic liver disease

The [¹⁴C]aminopyrine breath test (APBT) score, an estimate of hepatic mixed-oxidase function, was evaluated in 21 consecutive patients with active nonalcoholic chronic liver diseases. Ten had primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and 11 had chronic active hepatitis (CAH). The APBT score was normal or elevated in patients with PBC (P<0.001), and lower than normal in CAH patients (P<0.01); 10.5±1.6 and 3.5±1.86, respectively, vs control 7.65±1.15 (mean±sd). The 11 patients with CAH included two middle-aged women who displayed ambiguous severe intrahepatic cholestasis. There was no overlap between the APBT scores of the 10 PBC and 11 CAH patients. These initial data suggest that the APBT may be helpful in the differentiation of PBC and CAH, including misleading cholestatic forms of CAH.     

IgM and IgA antibodies generated against hepatitis C virus core antigen in patients with acute and chronic HCV infection

Antibody subclasses directed against the core protein (HCc) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) were measured in 27 patients with acute non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis, and 99 patients with chronic HCV-associated liver disease. IgM, IgA, and IgG anti-HCc responses were observed in 11 (40.7%), 7 (25.9%), and 18 (67%) patients with acute NANB hepatitis, respectively. Twenty-four (24.2%) and 40 (40.4%) patients with chronic HCV infection also had detectable IgM and IgA, respectively. IgM anti-HCc inconsistently detected acute infection, and HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) could be detected preceding the rise in anti-HCc antibodies in five consecutive patients with acute hepatitis. IgM anti-HCc also could not distinguish acute from chronic infection and did not correlate with histologic progression. However, the form of IgA present (polymeric vs monomeric) did discriminate acute from chronic infection and the IgA anti-HCc titer correlated with histologic evidence of liver disease in patients with chronic HCV infection.     

Haemagglutinating anti-actin antibodies in acute and chronic liver disease

Anti-actin antibody was measured by the passive haemagglutination test in the serum of 118 patients with various forms of chronic cholestatic and non-cholestatic liver disease, and of 23 patients with acute hepatitis B or non-A, non-B. Tanned sheep erythrocytes and electrophoretically pure actin prepared from rabbit skeletal muscle were employed; absorption tests confirmed the specificity of positive reactions, defined from healthy controls as a titre of greater than 1/80. The presence of anti-actin activity in chronic liver disease corresponded generally to the immunofluorescent demonstration of smooth muscle antibody (P<0.01). However, in acute hepatitis, with one exception (later progressing to subacute disease) raised anti-actin titres were not found. Thus, the weak smooth muscle antibody occasionally demonstrable in this condition may be neither IgM in class, nor directed against actin. Anti-actin antibody was present in significantly high titre in 54% of 37 active chronic hepatitis patients and 79% of 24 ;mixed-form' cholestatic active chronic hepatitis, as compared with only 21% of 29 primary biliary cirrhosis patients, and 11% of alcoholic liver disease. Anti-actin antibody is therefore associated with chronic autoimmune parenchymal liver damage and its appearance may mark the transition from acute hepatitis. No raised anti-actin titres were seen in 10 primary biliary cirrhosis patients positive for mitochondrial antibody by indirect immunofluorescence, but negative by the complement fixation test. This result suggests that the cytoplasmic fluorescence observed is due to low titre mitochondrial antibody rather than cytoplasmic actin and that these patients do not represent a different disease entity. The generation of anti-actin antibody in chronic parenchymal liver disease, perhaps due to unmasking or schlepping of intracellular or SIg/HLA-associated actin, may characterise autoimmune events at hepatocyte level, point to prognosis, and aid in the differential diagnosis of individual patients.     

High prevalence of autoimmune liver disease in patients with multiple nuclear dot, anti-centromere, and mitotic spindle antibodies

We used HEp-2 cells to compare the occurrence of multiple nuclear dot (MND), anti-centromere (ACA), and mitotic spindle antibodies (MSA) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) (n = 32) and primary Sj?gren's syndrome (n = 50). The predictive value of these antibodies for autoimmune liver disease was evaluated among patients with chronic liver or inflammatory connective tissue diseases. MND were found in 6%, ACA in 10%, and MSA in 6% of PBC sera. Among patients with primary Sj?gren's syndrome, ACA were found in one, whereas another had both MND and MSA. MND were also detected in 1 of 25 sera from patients with other chronic inflammatory connective tissue diseases. Reexamination of these three patients showed evidence of PBC in two. In a blinded study of sera from 356 patients with chronic liver diseases, MND were detected in 10 (3%), ACA in 2 (0.9%), and MSA in 4 (1.2%). All patients with MND or ACA and two of four with MSA had PBC or autoimmune chronic active hepatitis, particularly of the cholestatic type. In four of these patients the liver disease had not previously been classified. We conclude that these antibodies have low sensitivity but high predictive value for autoimmune, cholestatic liver disease.