Circulating tissue antigens. III. Identification and characterization of antigens of limited and of wide body is distribution in human gall bladder bile. Presence in serum of patients with acute hepatitis.

Three antigens shared by bile and tissues (BT-1, BT-2 and BT-3) and one shared by bile and saliva (BA) were identified in human gallbladder bile by immunodiffusion. The former were detected in all bile specimens examined, whereas the latter was detected only in half. BT-1 was limited in distribution to kidney, urine and bile; whereas BT-2 and BT-3 were widely distributed mainly in liver, lung and bile. The antigens were not present in biles of other mammals tested, with the exception of BA which was also present in Rhesus monkey. All antigens were inactivated by Pronase, had relative electrophoretic mobilities of serum globulins and separated from each other in Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and ammonium sulphate fractionation. Ethanol inactivated BT-1 and precipitated the other antigens. BT-2 and BA were relatively resistant to boiling temperature and acid pH, whereas BT-1 and BT-3 were susceptible. Antigens BT-2 and BT-3 were detected in serum of patients with acute hepatitis but not of patients with other diseases or of normal controls.