title: Autoantibodies to isolated human hepatocyte plasma membranes in liver disease. I. Specificity for chronic active hepatitis.
abstract: Circulating autoantibodies reacting with human hepatocyte plasma membranes (HHPM) were quantitated in acute and chronic liver disease using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Anti-HHPM were found most frequently in patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), a disease postulated to result from autoimmune processes directed at organ-specific antigens on the surface of hepatocytes. The high incidence of anti-HHPM in CAH (75%) contrasted significantly with all other groups assayed, including primary biliary cirrhosis (44%), alcoholic liver disease (21%), acute viral hepatitis (17%), and chronic persistent hepatitis (8%). The titers of anti-HHPM in CAH were significantly greater than in other liver disease and control groups. Anti-HHPM quantitated by ELISA correlated with hepatocellular membrane staining by indirect immunofluorescence. Autoantibodies to HHPM were found with an equivalent frequency in three etiological subgroups of CAH: autoimmune CAH, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related CAH, and CAH associated with excess alcohol consumption. Anti-HHPM of the IgG and IgA isotypes were found in the highest frequency. There was a trend for patients with a histologically more severe disease to have higher titers of anti-HHPM. Immunoblots of SDS-PAGE-separated HHPM showed antibodies to react with a number of polypeptides, some of which appeared human specific. These data suggest that isolated HHPM are a source of relevant hepatocellular membrane antigens. Further studies of the different antigenic specificities of anti-HHPM are required to define which of these may be of pathogenetic importance in chronic active hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Yarred
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Bartholomaeus
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Shilkin
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Joske
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes