Characterization of anti-histone antibodies in patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis.
We have recently found that antibodies to total histones are common in a group of American patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). In an attempt to determine the profile and clinical association of anti-histone antibody (AHA), 45 Japanese AIH patients were studied for serum isotypic reactivity with individual histones (H1, H2A, H2B, H3, H4) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting. The results revealed that 40% of sera had reactivities with at least one of individual histones and that the antibodies were detected in all three classes of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA). Immunoglobulin G type anti-H3 showed the dominant reactivity and it characterized 72% of sera with AHA. The titre of anti-H3 decreased significantly (P < 0.0075) after steroid therapy and the index of decrease for anti-H3 was correlated in individuals with that for serum aminotransferase. In general, patients with AHA showed higher serum level of alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.05), immunoglobulin G (P < 0.025), and higher frequency of A2-DR4 haplotype (53 vs 17%) than their seronegative counterparts. However, the titre of AHA was low in this disease condition and histone class-specific antibodies did not distinguish patients with distinctive clinical features, although patients with anti-H3 tended to be younger than those without AHA.
Chen
M
M
The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Japan. chen@kms.ac.jp
Shirai
M
M
Czaja
A J
AJ
Kurokohchi
K
K
Arichi
T
T
Arima
K
K
Kodama
T
T
Nishioka
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006657:Histones; D007136:Immunoglobulins