Autoantibodies in experimental autoimmune hepatitis.

Experimental autoimmune hepatitis (EAH) can be induced in mice by immunization with syngeneic soluble liver antigens in complete Freund's adjuvant. It has previously been shown that autoreactive T cells play an important role in this animal model of autoimmune hepatitis. We have studied the occurrence of liver autoantibodies in EAH. Characteristic autoantibodies appeared several weeks after disease induction and antibody titres continued to rise when histological and biochemical signs of disease activity had already regressed. Autoantibodies in EAH seemed to recognize autoantigens other than those present in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis patients. We conclude that autoantibodies arise in experimental autoimmune hepatitis but that these autoantibodies do not play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the disease.