Plasma concentrations of fibronectin and C3d in patients with amoebic liver abscess

Abstract

By means of simple and specific ELISA techniques, the plasma concentrations of soluble fibronectin and C3d, a breakdown product of C3 complement, were determined in patients with amoebic liver abscesses (ALA) and in healthy controls. The mean plasma fibronectin concentrations in 23 patients with ALA and in 20 controls were found to be 441 +/- 89 mg/l and 442 +/- 66 mg/l, respectively. The difference between these two values was not statistically significant. The mean C3d value in 21 patients with ALA, however, was found to be 84 +/- 14 AU/l which was significantly different from the value of 12 +/- 4.7 AU/l noted in 20 healthy persons. Plasma concentrations of these two proteins are discussed in relation to their possible implications in the immunopathogenesis of amoebic liver abscess.