Autoantibodies to Tamm-Horsfall Protein in Acute and Chronic Hepatitis

Abstract

The levels of antibodies of the IgG, IgA and IgM class against the Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (anti-THP) were determined in 108 patients with the following diagnoses: acute hepatitis A, acute hepatitis B, acute hepatitis non-A non-B, chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis non-A non-B and chronic autoimmune hepatitis. The mean levels of antibodies of the IgM class were higher in all types of hepatitis than in healthy controls, while the mean levels of anti-THP of the IgA and IgG class were increased in acute hepatitis B only. 13 of 20 patients (65%) with acute hepatitis B exhibited increased levels of anti-THP of the IgA class compared to 6–18% of the patients in the other categories. The increased levels of anti-THP of the IgA class could not be attributed to elevated serum IgA but instead were correlated with the levels of serum aminotransferase. The possible impact of this particular association of anti-THP with acute hepatitis B is discussed.

Uromodulin and Chronic Kidney Disease

“…Whether a specific immune response to uromodulin plays a role in human disease is presently unknown. Antiuromodulin antibodies are detected in acute pyelonephritis, reflux nephropathy and other nephropathies, but also in healthy individuals and patients with hepatitis [42][43][44][45][46] . These antibodies usually are of very low affinity [47] .…”

Identification of Human Uromodulin as the Tamm-Horsfall Urinary Glycoprotein

“…For example, cellmediated and humoral responses directed against TH-GP have been demonstrated in 3 APRIL I987 patients with autoimmune liver disease and renal tubular acidosis (28). Autoantibodies to TH-GP have been found in patients with urinary tract infections (29), liver diseases (30), and hepatitis (31).…”