Direct and serum-induced lymphocytotoxicity against rabbit hepatocytes in chronic active hepatitis

The direct and the serum-induced lymphocytotoxicity against cultured rabbit hepatocytes were evaluated in 25 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) (15 HBsAg+). Twelve out of fifteen HBsAg+ and nine out of ten HBsAg- patients have shown an increased cytotoxicity for rabbit hepatocytes. Moreover the sera of the same patients were able to induce a significant cytotoxicity in normal lymphocytes against rabbit hepatocytes. The addition of LSP was able to inhibit the cytotoxic reaction for rabbit hepatocytes in all cases with positive cytotoxic index. Indeed, the results we have obtained are the following. a) A significant lymphocytotoxicity for rabbit hepatocytes exists in patients with CAH, and this is unrelated to HBsAg status. b) A linear correlation ( r = 0.88; p less than 0.001) exists between the direct and the serum-induced lymphocytotoxicity in CAH hepatitis. c) The cytotoxicity to rabbit hepatocytes seems to be an antibody mediated process and the target antigen seems to be LSP.