RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Detection of immunoglobulins G and A on the cell membrane of hepatocytes from patients with alcoholic liver disease.
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 530
OP 534
DO 10.1136/jcp.36.5.530
VO 36
IS 5
A1 Trevisan, A
A1 Cavigli, R
A1 Meliconi, R
A1 Stefanini, G F
A1 Zotti, S
A1 Rugge, M
A1 Noventa, F
A1 Betterle, C
A1 Realdi, G
YR 1983
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/36/5/530.abstract
AB The presence of immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A, and M and of complement fractions (C3-C4) on the liver cell surface was investigated by direct immunofluorescence in 40 patients with alcoholic liver disease. IgG was detected on the liver cell membrane with a linear staining pattern in 29 patients. The percentage of IgG-positive hepatocytes correlated with transaminase activities, independently of the histological findings. IgA was demonstrable with a coarse granular staining pattern in 11 of the 14 cases with established cirrhosis. The finding of IgG bound to the hepatocyte surface in patients with alcohol-induced liver damage suggests that alcohol could be responsible for antigenic modifications of hepatocyte membrane with consequent triggering of a humoral immune response.