title: In vitro evidence for B cell dysfunction in patients with chronic liver disease.
abstract: Patients with chronic liver disease have been reported to have multiple immunologic abnormalities. We evaluated immune function in 40 such patients. The patient group had a decreased proportion of CD3 positive cells compared to controls (54.2 +/- 13.2 vs 67.9 +/- 5.7, p less than 0.01), CD4 positive cells (38.4 +/- 10.0 vs 44.3 +/- 4.9, p less than 0.01) and CD8 positive cells (17.7 +/- 8.2 vs 26.3 +/- 3.9, p less than 0.05). B cells were increased over controls (8.3 +/- 4.0 vs 6.0 +/- 1.9, p less than 0.01). In vitro immunoglobulin synthesis studies demonstrated decreased production in both IgM (632 +/- 482 ng/ml vs 2,050 +/- 1,720 ng/ml, p less than 0.01) and IgG synthesis (726 +/- 640 ng/ml vs 1,117 +/- 1,012 ng/ml, p less than 0.05) by patients as compared to controls. Coculture of fractionated populations of lymphocytes indicated that the patients had adequate T helper cell activity and no evidence for enhanced T suppressor cell activity. B cells of patients with chronic liver disease appear to have an impaired capacity to produce immunoglobulin in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis.
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Valenski
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Herrod
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D007136:Immunoglobulins