Abstract
We have measured immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis by circulating lymphoid cells of 20 patients with cirrhotic hyperglobulinemia (CH) and 20 age-matched controls. We used specific anti-Ig antisera to precipitate Ig synthesized from [14C]amino acid precursors in 13 patients and 13 controls and employed an electroimmunoassay of the “rocket” type to measure Ig elaborated by cultured cells in 4 patient-control pairs. In addition, we studied 3 patient-control pairs by absorption of elaborated Ig onto an anti-Ig-coated solid phase, bromoacetylcellulose. The synthetic index (SI; the ratio of Ig synthesis by a CH patient and a control) was elevated in every case. Mean SI by coprecipitation was 7.2±5.4 (mean±sd), by “rocket” 7.3±3.0 for IgG and 2.2±0.8 for IgA, and by immunoabsorption 13.8±8.4 for IgG. Three cirrhotic nonhyperglobulinemic patient-control pairs showed a mean SI of 1.0±0.1. CH and control populations showed equal numbers of membrane Ig-positive B lymphocytes by immunofluorescence. We conclude that (1) peripheral blood lymphoid cells are appropriate for study of differences in Ig synthetic capacity among individuals; (2) CH is associated with increasedin vitro Ig synthesis; and (3) CH lymphocytes may be an appropriate cell population for the study of control mechanisms in Ig synthesis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyum A: Isolation of mononuclear cells and granulocytes from human blood. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 21(Suppl 97):77–89, 1968
Renn DW, Evans E: A rapid electroimmunoassay system. Anal Biochem 71:588–593, 1972
Laurell C-B: Quantitative estimation of proteins by electrophoresis in agarose gel containing antibodies. Anal Biochem 15:45–52, 1966
Falchuk ZM, Strober W: Increased jejunal immunoglobulin synthesis in patients with nontropical sprue as measured by a solid phase immunoabsorptive technique. J Lab Clin Med 79:1004–1013, 1972
Jagendorf AT, Patchornik A, Sela M: Use of antibody bound to modified cellulose as an immunospecific absorbent of antigens. Biochem Biophys Acta 78:516–528, 1963
Pernis B, Forni L, Amante L: Immunoglobulins as cell receptors. Ann NY Acad Sci 190:420–431, 1971
Triger DR, Alp MH, Wright R: Bacterial and dietary antibodies in liver disease. Lancet 1:60–63, 1972
Siegal FP, Siegal M: Enhancement by irradiated T cells of human plasma cell production: Dissection of helper and suppressor functions in vitro. J Immunol 118:642–647, 1977
Rich RR, Pierce CW: Biological expressions of lymphocyte activation III. Suppression of plague-forming cell responsein vitro by supernatant fluids from concanavalin A-activated spleen cell cultures. J Immunol 112:1360–1368, 1974
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by U.S. Public Health Service Grant #5 R01 AA 00643
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berger, S.R., Helms, R.A. & Bull, D.M. Cirrhotic hyperglobulinemia. Digest Dis Sci 24, 741–745 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01317205
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01317205