STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY LIVER DISEASES.

Membrane-fixed IgG on isolated hepatocytes from biopsy material could be demonstrated by direct immunoflourescence in nine of thirty-four patients with acute virus-B hepatitis and in seventeen of forty-nine cases with chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Patients with acute virus-A hepatitis, chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) or metabolic liver disease did not show this phenomenon. Cases with CAH and IgG on the hepatocytes - HB₂ Ag-positive as well as HB₂ Ag-negative - had high inflammatory activity. Antibodies against HB₂Ag were not present in any serum. Autoimmune phenomena (antibodies against smooth muscle, mitochondria and nuclei) were only rarely demonstrable. The findings suggest that an antibody, or immune complex-mediated lymphocyte cytotoxicity may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]