Immunological observations on patients with Wilson's disease

In 19 patients with Wilson's disease we found an increased humoral immune response, i.e. a higher level of IgG and IgM, a higher titre of antibodies against Kunin's CA antigen and a depressed cell-mediated immunity i.e. a lower response to DNCB and E. coli in skin tests, lower lymphocyte transformation when stimulated by Con A, PPD, Candida albicans and streptokinase and a lower production of macrophage migration inhibition factor. The changes observed in the group of patients with liver cirrhosis caused by other factors than Wilson's disease were similar but less pronounced. We also found that leukocytes of patients with Wilson's disease have an impaired bactericidal activity and that copper ions have an inhibitory effect on some tests for cell-mediated immunity. It seems probable that immunological abnormalities in Wilson's disease are caused by liver cirrhosis but we cannot exclude an inhibitory effect of copper ions upon the immune response and an associated effect upon leukocyte metabolism.