Circulating complement fixing immune complexes in chronic hepatitis. Use of anti-C3 enzyme immunoassay to define antibody class and nature of antigen.
An anti-C3 enzyme immunoassay (anti-C3 EIA) was used to identify the antigen and antibody of immune complexes (IC). HBsAg, liver cell membrane antigens (LSP and LP-2), IgA, IgG and IgM were determined in IC of 258 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and 31 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH). IC that contained an antibody of either IgG, IgM or IgA class were detected in all types of CAH and CPH investigated. IC were seen more frequently in patients with cirrhosis than in CAH patients without cirrhosis and patients with CPH. LSP and LP-2 in IC were detected in 50% of patients with CAH and, infrequently, in CPH patients. In a group of 56 patients with CAH, followed for two to nine years, those patients treated with steroids showed a tendency to clear IC, whereas no variation was seen in untreated patients. While the presence of IC seems to indicate a decreased clearance of IC, a damaging activity of IC on the liver or the immune system remains to be demonstrated.
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003167:Complement Activation; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000145:classification; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003176:Complement C3; D000939:Epitopes; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011506:Proteins