MITOCHONDRIAL ANTIBODIES IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASES AND CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISORDERS - FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF THE AUTO-ANTIGENS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (1) , 43-54
Abstract
The heterogeneity of mitochondrial autoantibodies in several disease states [human] was critically reexamined by a combination of immunofluorescence staining (IFL) and complement fixation tests (CFT). The different mitochondrial IFL patterns described by others were confirmed and extra criteria using new substrates are presented for their differential recognition. Biochemically defined mitochondrial subfractions were used in the CFT to confirm and extend the IFL classifications. The M1 cardiolipin antibodies of syphilis did not react with the ATPase fraction but the antigen was present in all membrane preparations and was chemically resistant. The major antibody specificity of the M3 pattern associated with drug-induced pseudolupus syndrome is a firmly bound, outer membrane component; a 2nd, minor reactivity is apparently to a mercurial-insensitive antigen present in the chloroform-released ATPase preparation. The M5 antibody pattern correlates with a digitonin-sensitive outer membrane component. Although it was not possible to differentiate within the group of liver diseases between the M2 antibodies of primary biliary cirrhosis and the previously described M4 antibodies of other chronic liver diseases, several antibody specificities were demonstrated. All sera from liver disease patients contain the antibody directed against a mercurial-sensitive protein found in the chloroform-released ATPase preparation and varying titers of antibodies against 2 or more mercurial-resistant membrane components, of which at least 1 is on the inner membrane and 1 on the outer membrane.