Distribution of fibronectin in plasma and liver in liver diseases.

We measured the concentration in plasma of fibronectin, a recently characterized high molecular weight glycoprotein, in patients with various liver diseases. We found that it was significantly increased in acute hepatitis, fatty liver, all types of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis without clinical evidence of ascites. Only in patients at the decompensated stage of liver cirrhosis, i.e. patients with clinical evidence of the presence of ascites, was it significantly reduced. Based on the immunohistochemical study on biopsy specimens of the liver using anti-human fibronectin antiserum, we suggest a possible correlation of the elevated plasma fibronectin to the wide distribution of specific fluorescence associated with the fibrillar structures in necrotic areas, expanded portal areas or thick fibrous septa in the liver diseases. Accelerated catabolism of plasma fibronectin mediated by increased fibrinolytic activity may contribute to the decrease in the level of plasma fibronectin in severe liver cirrhosis.