Skip to main content
PMC home page
Clinical and Experimental Immunology logoLink to Clinical and Experimental Immunology
. 1979 Apr;36(1):54–62.

Immunological aspects of cryoprecipitates from the sera of chronic HBsAg carriers.

M L Tiku, K R Beutner, P L Ogra
PMCID: PMC1537684  PMID: 466862

Abstract

The sera of chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers and seropositive controls were examined for the presence of immune complexes by cryoprecipitation. Cryoprecipitates (CP) were tested for HBsAg, antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs), major classes of immunoglobulins, components of the complement system, rheumatoid factor and the ability to activate the alternative pathway of the complement system. For this analysis the methods employed included: radioimmunoassay, reverse passive haemagglutination, immunofluorescence, sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation, agar-gel diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, counterimmunoelectrophoresis, latex agglutination, and a haemolytic method for the detection of the activation of the alternative pathway of the complement system. HBsAg was frequently observed in the CP from chronic HBsAg carriers. No anti-HBs activity was detected in the serum of chronic HBsAg carriers. However, the CP from a number of chronic HBsAg carriers contained immunoglobulins and components of the complement system in the absence of rheumatoid factor, anti-HBs activity and were able to activate the alternative pathway of the complement system. On immunoelectrophoresis, a component of the CP reacting with anti-IgG, ANTI-IgA and anti-HBs antisera and demonstrating an altered (faster) electrophoretic mobility was observed. The nature of the CP strongly suggests the presence of circulating immune complexes in asymptomatic chronic HBaAg carriers. These immune complexes may be important in the eventual expression and outcome of clinical disease in apparently healthy carriers of HBsAg.

Full text

PDF
56

Images in this article

58FIG. 1
on p.58

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahmed A., Strong D. M., Sell K. W., Thurman G. B., Knudsen R. C., Wistar R., Jr, Grace W. R. Demonstration of a blocking factor in the plasma and spinal fluid of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. I. Partial characterization. J Exp Med. 1974 Apr 1;139(4):902–924. doi: 10.1084/jem.139.4.902. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allen J., Oppenheim J., Brody J. A., Miller J. Labile inhibitor of lymphocyte transformation in plasma from a patient and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Infect Immun. 1973 Jul;8(1):80–82. doi: 10.1128/iai.8.1.80-82.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Almeida J. D., Waterson A. P. The morphology of virus-antibody interaction. Adv Virus Res. 1969;15:307–338. doi: 10.1016/S0065-3527(08)60878-7. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Alpert E., Isselbacher K. J., Schur P. H. The pathogenesis of arthritis associated with viral hepatitis. Complement-component studies. N Engl J Med. 1971 Jul 22;285(4):185–189. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197107222850401. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Arroyave C. M., Vallota E. H., Müller-Eberhard H. J. Lysis of human erythrocytes due to activation of the alternate complement pathway by nephritic factor (C3NeF). J Immunol. 1974 Sep;113(3):764–768. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Avrameas S., Taudou B., Chuilon S. Glutaraldehyde, cyanuric chloride and tetrazotized O-dianisidine as coupling reagents in the passive hemagglutination test. Immunochemistry. 1969 Jan;6(1):67–76. doi: 10.1016/0019-2791(69)90179-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Bacon P. A., Doherty S. M., Zuckerman A. J. Hepatitis-B antibody in polymyalgia Rheumatica. Lancet. 1975 Sep 13;2(7933):476–478. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)90547-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Bedarida G., Zacchi T., Tassi G. C. Detection in serum hepatitis of the Au-anti-Au immune complex and of the antigen and antibody by means of the modified electrosyneresis technique. Prog Immunobiol Stand. 1971;5:75–80. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Cayzer I., Dane D. S., Cameron C. H., Denning J. V. A rapid haemagglutination test for hepatitis-B antigen. Lancet. 1974 May 18;1(7864):947–949. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)91259-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Coller J. A., Millman I., Halbherr T. C., Blumberg B. S. Radioimmunoprecipitation assay for Australia antigen, antibody, and antigen-antibody complexes. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1971 Oct;138(1):249–257. doi: 10.3181/00379727-138-35872. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Dudley F. J., Giustino V., Sherlock S. Cell-mediated immunity in patients positive for hepatitis-associated antigen. Br Med J. 1972 Dec 30;4(5843):754–756. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5843.754. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Fine D. P., Marney S. R., Jr, Colley D. G., Sergent J. S., Des Prez R. M. C3 shunt activation in human serum chelated with EGTA. J Immunol. 1972 Oct;109(4):807–809. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gocke D. J., Howe C. Rapid detection of Australia antigen by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. J Immunol. 1970 Apr;104(4):1031–1034. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Gocke D. J., Hsu K., Morgan C., Bombardieri S., Lockshin M., Christian C. L. Association between polyarteritis and Australia antigen. Lancet. 1970 Dec 5;2(7684):1149–1153. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(70)90339-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Grey H. M., Kohler P. F. Cryoimmunoglobulins. Semin Hematol. 1973 Apr;10(2):87–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Götze O., Müller-Eberhard H. J. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Hemolysis initiated by the C3 activator system. N Engl J Med. 1972 Jan 27;286(4):180–184. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197201272860403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ibrahim A. B., Vyas G. N., Perkins H. A. Immune response to hepatitis B surface antigen. Infect Immun. 1975 Jan;11(1):137–141. doi: 10.1128/iai.11.1.137-141.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Iwarson S., Kjellman H., Ahlmén J., Ljunggren C., Eriksson E., Selander D., Hermodsson S. Hepatitis B immune serum globulin and standard gamma globulin in prevention of hepatitis B infection among hospital staff: a preliminary report. Am J Med Sci. 1975 Sep-Oct;270(2):385–389. doi: 10.1097/00000441-197509000-00022. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lander J. J., Giles J. P., Purcell R. H., Krugman S. Viral hepatitis, type B (MS-2 strain). Detection of antibody after primary infection. N Engl J Med. 1971 Aug 5;285(6):303–307. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197108052850601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lee W. M., Reed W. D., Mitchell C. G., Woolf I. L., Dymock I. W., Eddleston A. L., Williams R. Cell-mediated immunity to hepatitis B surface antigen in blood donors with persistent antigenaemia. Gut. 1975 Jun;16(6):416–420. doi: 10.1136/gut.16.6.416. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ling C. M., Overby L. R. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus antigen as revealed by direct radioimmune assay with 125 I-antibody. J Immunol. 1972 Oct;109(4):834–841. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Miller G. W., Nussenzweig V. Complement as a regulator of interactions between immune complexes and cell membranes. J Immunol. 1974 Aug;113(2):464–469. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Miller G. W., Saluk P. H., Nussenzweig V. Complement-dependent release of immune complexes from the lymphocyte membrane. J Exp Med. 1973 Sep 1;138(3):495–507. doi: 10.1084/jem.138.3.495. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Miller G. W., Steinberg A. D., Green I., Nussenzweig V. Complement-dependent alterations in the handling of immune complexes by NZB/W mice. J Immunol. 1975 Apr;114(4):1166–1170. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Millman I., London W. T., Sutnick A. I., Blumberg B. S. Australia antigen-antibody complexes. Nature. 1970 Apr 4;226(5240):83–84. doi: 10.1038/226083a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Nowoslawski A., Krawczynski K., Nazarewicz T., Slusarczyk J. Immunopathological aspects of hepatitis type B. Am J Med Sci. 1975 Sep-Oct;270(2):229–239. doi: 10.1097/00000441-197509000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Ogra P. L. Immunologic aspects of hepatitis-associated antigen and antibody in human body fluids. J Immunol. 1973 May;110(5):1197–1205. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Oldstone M. B. Virus neutralization and virus-induced immune complex disease. Virus-antibody union resulting in immunoprotection or immunologic injury--two sides of the same coin. Prog Med Virol. 1975;19:84–119. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Prince A. M., Trepo C. Role of immune complexes involving SH antigen in pathogenesis of chronic active hepatitis and polyarteritis nodosa. Lancet. 1971 Jun 26;1(7713):1309–1312. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)91883-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Reed W. D., Eddleston A. L., Cullens H., Williams R., Zuckerman A. J., Peters D. K., Williams D. G., Maycock W. A. Infusion of hepatitis-B antibody in antigen-positive active chronic hepatitis. Lancet. 1973 Dec 15;2(7842):1347–1351. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(73)93321-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Shulman N. R., Barker L. F. Virus-like antigen, antibody, and antigen-antibody complexes in hepatitis measured by complement fixation. Science. 1969 Jul 18;165(3890):304–306. doi: 10.1126/science.165.3890.304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Tamerius J., Nepom J., Hellström I., Hellström K. E. Tumor-associated blocking factors: isolation from sera of tumor-bearing mice. J Immunol. 1976 Mar;116(3):724–730. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Tiku M. L., Beutner K. R., Tiku K., Ogra P. L. Cell-mediated immune response to liver tissue antigen and hepatitis B surface antigen after infection with hepatitis B virus in humans. J Infect Dis. 1978 Nov;138(5):587–596. doi: 10.1093/infdis/138.5.587. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Tong M. J., Wallace A. M., Peters R. L., Reynolds T. B. Lymphocyte stimulation in hepatitis B infections. N Engl J Med. 1975 Aug 14;293(7):318–322. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197508142930702. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Valdimarsson H., Agnarsdottir G., Lachmann P. J. Cellular immunity in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Proc R Soc Med. 1974 Nov;67(11):1125–1129. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Vyas G. N., Roberts I., Peterson D. L., Holland P. V. Nonspecific test reaction for antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen in chronic HBAg carriers. J Lab Clin Med. 1977 Feb;89(2):428–432. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Vyas G. N., Shulman N. R. Hemagglutination assay for antigen and antibody associated with viral hepatitis. Science. 1970 Oct 16;170(3955):332–333. doi: 10.1126/science.170.3955.332. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Wands J. R., Alpert E., Isselbacher K. J. Arthritis associated with chronic active hepatitis: complement activation and characterization of circulating immune complexes. Gastroenterology. 1975 Dec;69(6):1286–1291. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Wands J. R., Mann E., Alpert E., Isselbacher K. J. The pathogenesis of arthritis associated with acute hepatitis-B surface antigen-positive hepatitis. Complement activation and characterization of circulating immune complexes. J Clin Invest. 1975 May;55(5):930–936. doi: 10.1172/JCI108022. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Clinical and Experimental Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES