title: Anti-GOR in hepatitis D: specific association with hepatitis C virus superinfection.
abstract: A group of 113 patients with chronic hepatitis D was investigated for the presence of anti-GOR and liver kidney microsomal antibodies. Eight patients were anti-GOR positive and also positive for hepatitis C virus-infection. In sera from 16 patients liver-kidney microsomal antibodies were detectable by immunofluorescence. They were classified as LKM-3 due to their fluorescence pattern. Two of the LKM-3-positive sera were also anti-hepatitis C virus and anti-human immunodeficiency virus positive. None of these patients were positive for anti-GOR. Fourteen sera from LKM-3-positive patients reacted in Western blot with a microsomal protein at 55 kDa that differs from the 50-kDa LKM-1 (cytochrome P450IID6) antigen. Our studies demonstrate that hepatitis D virus itself does not induce an autoimmune reaction against the GOR antigen and that autoimmunity to the LKM-3 antigen induced by hepatitis D virus infection does not correlated with anti-GOR. These studies support the specificity of the anti-GOR response for hepatitis C virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Medicina Interna, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durazzo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Philipp
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Luttig
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzetto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manns
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology*; D003699:Hepatitis D / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015163:Superinfection / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G