Abstract
It has been postulated that cellular autoimmune reaction directed against cell membrane of hepatocyte is responsible for the pathogenesis of chronic liver disease. To test this hypothesis, inhibition rate of leucocyte migration was determined using an organspecific antigen of human liver and purified HBsAg according to Sobørg's method. The specific antigen was obtained by the isolation and the purification from solubulized liproprotein of normal human hepatocyte membrane. Specificity of the isolated antigen was confirmed by the Ouchterlony's gel diffusion technique. Among 39 patients with chronic liver disease, the cellular antibody against the specific antigen was observed in 16 cases (41%). The cellular antibody against purified HBsAg was seen 14 cases (36%). It was noteworthy, however, that a high frequency of serum HBsAg or/and cellular antibody against HBsAg was detected in patients with positive cellular antibody against the specific antigen (14 out of 16 cases). The cellular immune reactivity to the specific antigen was found to be correlated well with the severity of hepato-cellular necrosis. By contrast, no correlation was observed between the reactivity to HBsAg and any histological abnormalities. These findings suggest that cell-mediated autoimmune response to the specific antigen plays, at least in part, a significant role of chronic hepato-cellular necrosis.
