[Significance of cellularly bound immunoglobulin G in chronic hepatitis induced by hepatitis B virus (author's transl)].

In vivo binding of immunoglobulin G was determined in hepatocytes of 15 patients, who suffered from hepatitis B virus induced chronic hepatitis. The incidence of hepatocytes containing immunoglobulin G bound in a granular pattern correlated positively with HBcAg within the nuclei and negatively with HBsAg in cytoplasma. The third component of complement could not be demonstrated in the hepatocytes. No correlation was found between the degree of immunoglobulin G fixation and inflammatory activity within the liver. It is suspected that immunoglobulins deposited as granula within the cell are identical with phagocytized immune complexes, which may be composed of HBcAg and anti-HBc.