Anti-atherogenic effect of circylating immune complexes in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis

ABSTRACT

This study included 29 normal control subjects and 76 SHF patients [33 with portosystemic collaterals, 12 with portosystemic collaterals and atherosclerosis, 18 without collaterals and 13 without collaterals with atherosclerosis]. Precipitation of circulating immune complexes [CICs] by ammonium sulfate at 25% saturation and estimation by nephelometry of CICs fractions; namely, immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, IgM, complement C3, apolipoproteins apoA and apoB were done for each subject. Patients with collaterals showed the highest levels of CICs, the atherosclerotic SHF without collaterals showed the lowest level. A similar pattern was shown for the total contents of IgG, IgA, IgM, apoxe A and B fractions of their CICs. Contrarily was the C3 fraction of the CICs which was generally low in the SHF Groups, except in the atherosclerotic group without collaterals who showed an astonishingly high level explaining the ability of their CICs to elicit immune endothelial injury