title: IgA against gut-derived endotoxins: does it contribute to suppression of hepatic inflammation in alcohol-induced liver disease?
abstract: Endotoxins of intestinal origin are supposed to play an important role in the development of alcoholic hepatitis in man. To estimate the role of immunoglobulin response to gut-derived endotoxin in the development of alcohol-induced liver disease, serum levels of IgA and IgG against fecal endotoxin, endotoxin, and acute-phase proteins were measured in patients with different stages of alcoholic liver disease and in healthy controls. Antibodies of type IgA, but not IgG, against fecal endotoxins were significantly increased in patients with alcohol-induced liver disease. IgA antibodies against fecal endotoxin were found to be closely correlated with the plasma concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and C-reactive protein in patients with alcoholic liver disease. In conclusion, as IgA located in body tissue was shown to suppress the inflammatory process, enhanced production of IgA against endotoxin of intestinal origin may contribute to inactivation of this compound, thereby reducing its damaging effect on the liver.
authors: Department of Physiology of Nutrition, Hohenheim University, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Alexandr
authors: A
authors: Parlesak
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schäfer
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Bode
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006519:Hepatitis, Alcoholic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase