title: Epstein-Barr virus as a trigger for autoimmune hepatitis in susceptible individuals.
abstract: During follow-up of healthy relatives of 13 patients with autoimmune hepatitis, seven cases of infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) occurred. In two of these seven, before EBV infection, there was a defect in suppressor-inducer T lymphocytes specifically controlling immune responses to the asialoglycoprotein receptor, an antigen expressed on the hepatocyte surface. In these two, antibodies to this autoantigen persisted and increased after infectious mononucleosis, and autoimmune hepatitis developed within 4 months. In susceptible individuals, EBV is a trigger for autoimmune hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Verona, Borgo Trento Hospital, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guella
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mirandola
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cainelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Perri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solbiati
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Concia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000821:virology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface