Autoantibodies to histones and their subfractions in chronic liver diseases.
Sera of 78 patients with different chronic liver diseases were examined for the presence of anti-histone activity using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Eighteen patients had primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), 20 had chronic active hepatitis, and 40 had cirrhosis. Anti-histone antibodies were detected in 34 patients (43.6%), distributed among all liver disease entities studied. When antibodies of specific isotypes (IgG, IgM, and IgA) were measured, even higher frequencies were noted--50% for IgG and 53.8% for IgA. Antibodies to histone subfractions H1, H2a, H2b, H3, and H4 were also observed in all liver disorders investigated (in 22-32% of patients)--H1 and H3 being the prominent fractions involved. Of the various disease entities examined PBC was the one disclosing the highest frequency of anti-histone antibodies.
Konikoff
F
F
Department of Medicine "D", Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheeba, Israel.
Swissa
M
M
Shoenfeld
Y
Y
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006657:Histones / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006657:Histones; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M