This research is based on the development of a specific monoclonal antibody (anti NMB-1) to purified isolates of Mallory body. The anti-NMB-1 will be used to develop a sensitive and specific immunoassay to detect Mallory body antigen and its antibody in sera of patients with hepatic disorders containing Mallory bodies. The usefulness of such an assay as a diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic guide will be explored using double blind prospective studies on serum from patients with various hepatic disorders with and without Mallory bodies. Anti-NMB-1 will be utilized as a probe to explore the cytoplasmic components that lead to the formation of Mallory body and its relation to hepatocellular cancer following administration of griseofulvin. The antigenic moiety of Mallory body will be identified by transblotting technique using MBAb positive sera. The physicochemical nature of the isolated antigenic moiety of Mallory body will then be studied. Chemical composition of antigenic body isolates will be determined and additional monoclonal antibodies developed from isolates of Mallory body from alcoholic hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. Finally, the relationship of clinical and functional status, and the influence of treatment on MBAg and MBAb will be assessed.
