title: Prognostic value of HBsAg/IgM complexes in hepatitis B patients: nature of the proteins involved.
abstract: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)/IgM complexes were measured using a solid phase radioimmunoassay in sera of patients with acute or chronic hepatitis B. These complexes were found in 6 out of 18 patients four weeks after the onset of the disease and only one of them developed chronic hepatitis. HBsAg/IgM complexes correlated with HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and pre-S2 concentration. The precipitation of HBsAg/IgM reactivity by polyethylene-glycol (PEG) and the binding of this activity to the surface of certain uncoated enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plates indicates that HBsAg/IgM positivity may reflect the presence of circulating complexes in serum. HBsAg and pre-S2 were found as components of the complexes but anti-HBs, anti-pre-S2, and polymerized human serum albumin (pHSA) were not. An immune binding between HBsAg and IgM is still questionable. Whatever the nature of the HBsAg/IgM complexes, their detection does not seem to be an earlier indicator of prognosis than HBeAg and/or pre-S2.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U 131 Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Clamart, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grangeot-Keros
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Briantais
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pillot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M