Inhibition of macrophage migration in response to hepatitis Bs antigen.

Macrophage migration inhibition factor produced in response to purified hepatitis Bs antigen has been demonstrated in patients with and recovering from hepatitis B antigen-positive acute viral hepatitis. These results suggest that cell-mediated immunity against this antigen occurs concomitantly with the illness, and may be important in its pathogenesis. In addition, patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis, whether serologically positive or negative for hepatitis Bs antigen, were also found to have positive macrophage migration inhibition tests. This observation suggests a role for hepatitis B virus in the majority of patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis. Negative macrophage migration inhibition tests in response to the antigen were noted in acute viral hepatitis seronegative for the hepatitis B antigen, alcoholic hepatitis, normal controls, and carriers of the antigen.