[Investigations concerning the fixation of hepatitis B-antigen (HBAg) on peripheral lymphocytes and isolated hepatocytes in patients with inflammatory liver diseases. (author's transl)]

Abstract

The fixation of HBAg on lymphocytes was investigated in 127 patients with various inflammatory liver diseases. The fixation of HBAg on lymphocytes and isolated hepatocytes as well as the fixation of IgG on isolated hepatocytes were studied in 60 cases. Membrane-fixed HBAg could in no case be demonstrated on isolated hepatocytes whether these cells were derived from patients with or without HBAg in the serum. HBAg on hymphocytes was detectable in most cases of acute hepatitis during the phase when HBAg disappeared from the serum. HBAg on lymphocytes was detectable in most cases of acute hepatitis during the phase when HBAg disappeared from the serum (time of immunoelimination). Membrane-fixed IgG could be mainly demonstrated in HBAg positive acute hepatitis with a protracted course or in HBAg-positive active chronic hepatitis and signs of inflammatory activity. The results obtained for HBAg-carriers indicate (a) an immunological tolerance against HBAg, (b) a persistance of the virus infection in liver cells, and (c) an antibody-mediated cyto- and histotoxicity as a pathogenetic principle for the course of certain chronic liver diseases. The antigenic determinant of the membrane-fixed antibody is not known until now.