Abstract
We examined sera from 71 patients, 27 with alcoholic liver disease (AL.D), 27 with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), and 17 with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of C3b-binding IgG, IgM, and IgA activity (immune complexes and immunoconglutinins). Elevated C3b-binding IgG activity was found in the sera of patients with CAH, PBC (p < 0.001), and ALD (P < 0.01). C3b-binding IgM activity was elevated only in CAH and PBC (p < 0.001) and normal in ALD. Significantly elevated C3b-binding IgA activity was found in all three types of liver disease (p < 0.005), but it was most prominent in ALD and, moreover, correlated with the severity of the alcoholic liver injury. Ultracentrifugation studies showed that in CAH and PBC C3b-binding IgG activity was located in the intermediate (7S–19S) fractions, C3b-binding IgM activity in the heavy (> 19S) fractions, and C3b-binding IgA activity in the intermediate and partly in the heavy fractions of the sucrose gradient. In ALD, a slight C3b-binding IgG and IgA activity was found in the intermediate fractions of the gradients, but it was most abundant in the heavy fractions. If C3b-binding material is pathogenic, the results suggest that immunopathogenic mechanisms of CAH and PBC differ from those of alcoholic liver injury.