Detection of immunoglobulins G and A on the cell membrane of hepatocytes from patients with alcoholic liver disease.
The presence of immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A, and M and of complement fractions (C3-C4) on the liver cell surface was investigated by direct immunofluorescence in 40 patients with alcoholic liver disease. IgG was detected on the liver cell membrane with a linear staining pattern in 29 patients. The percentage of IgG-positive hepatocytes correlated with transaminase activities, independently of the histological findings. IgA was demonstrable with a coarse granular staining pattern in 11 of the 14 cases with established cirrhosis. The finding of IgG bound to the hepatocyte surface in patients with alcohol-induced liver damage suggests that alcohol could be responsible for antigenic modifications of hepatocyte membrane with consequent triggering of a humoral immune response.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell