Liver membrane antibodies in alcoholic liver disease: 1. prevalence and immunoglobulin class.
Using an indirect immunofluorescence technique liver membrane antibodies of IgG and IgA class have been demonstrated in a statistically significant proportion of sera from patients with alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis. IgG and IgA class antibodies were found respectively in 23 and 25% of 48 patients with alcoholic hepatitis, in 27 and 33% of 84 with active cirrhosis, and 67 and 58% of 12 with inactive cirrhosis. These results provide evidence of a humoral immune response in alcoholic liver disease which is directed against, as yet undefined, liver-cell membrane antigens.
D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis*
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell