Autoantibody responses to liver-specific lipoprotein in mice

Autoantibody to the hepatocyte membrane antigen, liver-specific lipoprotein (LSP) was induced in mice by immunization with LSP-containing protein preparations from human, rat, rabbit and mouse liver and also with purified allogeneic LSP. Each of the strains of mice used (C57B1, BALB/c, C3H) showed the capacity to produce high titre autoantibody to LSP. Autoantibody to LSP demonstrated by passive haemagglutination was absorbed by normal mouse hepatocytes but not by kidney or spleen cells and reacted with the cell membrane of normal mouse hepatocytes by immunofluorescence. The liver was examined histologically in all mice and where inflammation was found it was attributable to the Freund's complete adjuvant used in immunization rather than liver protein immunogen. The demonstration of high titre autoantibody to LSP in mice without associated hepatitis contrasts with chronic hepatitis in man and experimental chronic hepatitis in rabbits where autoantibodies to LSP have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease.