title: Spontaneous IgA synthesis by blood mononuclear cells in alcoholic liver disease.
abstract: Changes in the concentration and composition of serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and deposits of IgA in tissues are well-known characteristics of alcoholic liver disease. We investigated whether these changes also accompany IgA synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC), by counting immunoglobulin-producing cells using a solid-phase enzymatic 'spot' test, and by analysis of immunoglobulin content in lysed cells with culture supernatant using conventional enzymatic methods. Patients with alcoholic liver disease exhibited a significantly higher number of spontaneously IgA-producing cells than did normal healthy controls (1.7 X 10(6) cells/blood and 0.5 X 10(6) cells/blood, respectively, P less than 0.01). The IgA content of MNC directly after isolation was also higher (38 and 13 ng/10(6) MNC, respectively, P less than 0.01), as was the IgA production during an unstimulated 6-day culture period (520 and 95 ng/10(6) MNC put into culture, respectively, P less than 0.001). The spontaneously IgA-producing cells assessed directly after isolation of mononuclear cells correlated with the IgA production during an unstimulated culture (P less than 0.01). We conclude that in alcoholic liver disease, B lymphocytes circulate which may have been activated in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A