Occurrence of enzyme-immunoglobulin complexes in chronic inflammatory bowel disease

The presence of circulating enzyme-immunoglobulin complexes was investigated in serum samples of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. In a series of 20 patients with ulcerative colitis AP-Ig complexes were demonstrated in three and LDH-Ig complexes were observed in two others. No AP-Ig or LDH-Ig complexes were found in the sera of 25 patients with Crohn's disease. These findings suggest a relationship between enzyme-immunoglobulin complex formation and ulcerative colitis.