[Liver cell membrane autoantibody (LMA) in chronic liver disease]

The incidence of LMA, detected by indirect IF on isolated rabbit hepatocytes, was significantly higher in CAH-non B (58%) than in CAH-B (15%). Sera from AVH patients showed a smaller percentage of positivity whereas the CPH patients were negative. The organ-specificity, the high incidence in relation to other non-organ-specific autoantibodies and the inverse correlation with the markers of HB Virus, make LMA a specific and sensitive marker of "autoimmune" chronic liver disease.