Antimitochondrial antibodies are markers for primary biliary cirrhosis and probably reflect a specific d e f e in immunoregulation underlying this disease.
Antimitochondrial antibodies and their primary biliary cirrhods-epecific subtypes were tested before and up to 6 y m after orthotopic liver transplantation. Sera from 31 consecutive patients were tested, 15 patients had primary biliary cirrhosis and 16 non-primary biliary cirrhaeis. Antimitochondrial antibodies were investigated ander code by immunofluoreacenc, and primary biliary cirrhosis-specific subtypes were determined by radbimmunoaseay (anti-pt32, anti-p48) and complement fixation test (anti-M2, anti-M4, anti-M8). Before orthotopic liver transplantation, antimitochondrial antibodies were detected by immunofluorescence in 13 of 16 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Of these patients, 12 were positive for anti-p62 and 8 for anti-p48. Ten patients were positive for anti-M2,4 patients for anti-M4 and 7 patients for anti-M8. Two primary biliary cirrhosis patients and all non-primary biliary cirrhoeis patients were negative with all tests. One month after orthotopic liver transplantation, antimitochondrial antibodies titers declined or became negative by anthnitochondrial antibodies immunofluoregcence, 3 patientebeeame negative by radioimmunoaesay for anti-a62 and 1 for anti-p48. With complement fixation test, 4 patienta k a m e negative for anti-M2, 2 for anti-M4 and 4 for anti-M8. Antimitochondrial antibody titer reduction obeerved 1 month after orthotopic liver transplantatron remained unchanged in most sera during the following years. A rise was observed in two patients after 4 and 5 years.
We conclude that antimitochondrial antibodies titers detected by immunofluorescence and their primary biliary cirrhosis-specific subtypes decline after orthotopic liver traaeplantstion or become negative. Subtypes after orthdopic liver transplantation are the same as before.
Antimitochondrial antibody titer height does not influ-en& long-term results. A recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis was not observed in our primary biliary cirrhosis patients after orthotopic liver transplantation.