Antibodies against cytokeratin 8/18 in a patient with de novo autoimmune hepatitis after living-donor liver transplantation.

Graft dysfunction mimicking autoimmune hepatitis rarely develops after liver transplantation for nonautoimmune disease. The mechanism(s) and causes of de novo autoimmune hepatitis are unknown. We examined autoantibodies serially in a patient with de novo autoimmune hepatitis and in patients without de novo autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation. Anticytokeratin 8/18 antibodies were detected in the first patient's sera after the onset of de novo autoimmune hepatitis, whereas other patients without de novo autoimmune hepatitis were seronegative throughout the follow-up period even with acute cellular rejection or other cause of liver dysfunction. In conclusion, the changes in cytokeratin 8/18 in hepatocytes might be one of the sources of pathogenesis of de novo autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation.