Serum beta 2-microglobulin levels in chronic post-transfusion non A non B liver disease

Serum beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2 mu), a reliable marker of T-cell activation, was measured in 25 patients with chronic post-transfusion non A non B (NANB) liver disease and in 21 patients with HBsAg positive chronic liver disease. beta 2 mu levels were elevated in NANB patients when compared with controls but not in comparison with the HBsAg carriers. In NANB patients, beta 2 mu concentrations were significantly correlated with serum IgG (P less than 0.001) and with circulating immune complex activity, assessed by the 125IClq binding test (P less than 0.01). These findings suggest that, in addition to T-cells, the B-cells contributed also to the beta 2 mu production. Patients with "active disease" (chronic active hepatitis and active cirrhosis) had significantly higher beta 2 mu levels (P less than 0.001) than did those with "inactive disease" (chronic persistent hepatitis and inactive cirrhosis). This relation of serum beta 2 mu concentrations and histological activity was also observed in the HBsAg carriers and suggests that the course of post-transfusion NANB chronic hepatitis could be determined by host's immune response rather than by a direct effect of the virus.