Anti-neutrophil antibodies in chronic hepatitis and the effect of alpha-interferon therapy.
In 34 patients with non-A non-B, 28 with type B and 11 with autoimmune chronic hepatitis, anti-neutrophil antibodies were investigated using indirect immunofluorescence and anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Granulocyte-specific antinuclear antibodies, were detected in 14 patients with advanced stages of non-A, non-B hepatitis (41%). Their presence correlated with histological features of disease activity but not with response to interferon therapy. Within 24 h after the first dose of interferon, 9 of these became negative and 3 more became negative after 1, 3 and 5 months. Myeloperoxidase-positive perinuclear neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were detected in a single patient and increased reaching a peak level after 8 weeks of interferon, decreasing thereafter. In type B, all were negative before and during the 6 months of therapy. In 6 patients with autoimmune hepatitis (55%), myeloperoxidase-negative perinuclear neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were detected in high titers. The association of granulocyte-specific anti-nuclear antibodies with non-A, non-B hepatitis support the hypothesis that hepatitis C virus infection might trigger humoral autoimmune response. In chronic autoimmune hepatitis, perinuclear neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies appear as another marker of autoimmunity.
Warny
M
M
Department of Microbiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (U.C.L.), Brussels, Belgium.
Brenard
R
R
Cornu
C
C
Tomasi
J P
JP
Geubel
A P
AP
D000328:Adult; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009195:Peroxidase