Antibody-dependent cell-mediated (K cell) cytotoxicity against isolated hepatocytes in chronic active hepatitis.

Lymphocytes from 12 of 17 patients with chronic active hepatitis were cytotoxic towards isolated hepatocytes in a microcytotoxicity assay. Enriched fractions of B cells, prepared by removal of E-rosetted cells, were cytotoxic in all 12 cases, whereas T-cell fractions, prepared by removal of erythrocyte-antibody-complement-rosetted cells, were cytotoxic in only 1 case (P less than 0-0005). HBsAg positive and negative cases reacted similarly.