COLLAGEN-BINDING ACTIVITY OF PLASMA VITRONECTIN IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

The collagen-binding activity of plasma vitronectin was measured in 15 control subjects and 64 subjects with chronic liver disease. The assa y of collagen-binding vitronectin was performed by an enzyme immunoass ay using a monoclonal antibody to human vitronectin and type I collage n from human placenta. The plasma collagen-binding vitronectin concent ration (mean +/- S.D.) was 5.6 +/- 1.9 mu g/ml in the controls, 8.3 +/ - 1.1 mu g/ml in chronic persistent hepatitis, 8.3 +/- 2.9 mu g/ml in chronic active hepatitis, 7.8 +/- 2.9 mu g/ml in liver cirrhosis and 8 .2 +/- 2.1 mu g/ml in hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis. The per cent collagen-binding vitronectin to total plasma vitronectin was 2.2 +/- 0.8% in the controls, 3.9 +/- 2.2% in chronic persistent hepatitis , 3.9 +/- 1.2% in chronic active hepatitis, 5.8 +/- 3.3% in liver cirr hosis and 4.1 +/- 1.2% in hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis. The plasma collagen-binding vitronectin also correlated with the serum le vels of 7S collagen and hyaluronic acid. These findings suggest that v itronectin may play an important role in the progression of liver dise ase and/or in hepatic fibrosis through its collagen-binding domain.