Circulating HBsAg/IgM complexes in acute and chronic hepatitis B.

Complexes between HBsAg and IgM have recently been described in the sera of HBsAg carriers. A solid phase RIA for HBsAg/IgM complexes has been described. Fifteen patients with acute viral hepatitis type B, and 52 HBsAg chronic carriers were studied.

Relationship between T cell subsets and suppressor cell activity in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

The relationship between T cell subset, as defined by monoclonal antibodies, and suppressor cell function, using a short lived suppressor cell assay, was studied in 38 chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and in 32 patients with HBsAg negative chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Patients with HBV chronic infection showed an absolute reduction in the OKT4 positive subset and a significantly decreased OKT4/OKT8 ratio, as compared with healthy controls. Patients with anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) positive CAH with or without antibodies to HBV antigens, namely anti-HBs and anti-HBc, demonstrated a significant reduction in cytotoxic/suppressor T cells and an increased helper/suppressor ratio.

HBeAg/anti-HBe system and development of primary hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HBsAg-positive liver cirrhosis.

The significance of the HBeAg/anti-HBe system and other HBV markers in the evolution of HBsAg-positive liver cirrhosis to primary hepato-cellular carcinoma (PHC) was studied by following up 70 cirrhotic patients from February 1978 to February 1981. Eight out of 19 (42.1%) patients with HBsAg positive liver cirrhosis developed PHC.

Immunoregulatory T cells in HBV-induced chronic liver disease as defined by monoclonal antibodies.

Peripheral blood T lymphocytes and T-cell subsets were analyzed in 19 patients with HBV-associated chronic liver disease, in 9 "autoimmune" chronic active hepatitis patients, and in three patients with HBV acute hepatitis. The percentages of the different T-cell subpopulations were defined by indirect immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies against all peripheral blood T cells (OKT3), T helper cells (OKT4), T suppressor cytotoxic cells (OKT8), and Ia antigens (OKIa1). The OKT4/OKT8 ratio was significantly lower in HBsAg+ chronic liver disease patients as compared with controls (P less than 0.